The Relationship Complexities
by MissLaurenV
Summary: When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings. Rating has now increased to M.   A huge thank you to Bellafibs for the wonderful cover art, please see my bio to view her deviantART account.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> First chapter is up! This story is going to be an ongoing piece, not a one-shot, and is set in the current season. It will be updated as best possible based upon any new developments on the show. My apologies if the character's lines are not as 'intelligent' as they are on the show, unfortunately I failed science quite miserably, and will avoid writing about it where possible. Rated M for future content and language. Any questions, feel free to ask away!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter One**

Sheldon was floored. "_Leonard_," he pressed, "How on _earth _can you even begin to consider altering the arrangement of this perfectly appointed living space. I have spent countless hours mapping out the precise location of each piece of furniture, and I don't really care of certain members of our social group don't have place to sit."

Adjacent to him, in an armchair seating himself and a very squashed Penny, Leonard sighed. "Sheldon, would it really be that terrible if we introduced a few extra pieces of furniture; and no, don't worry – you'll still have 'your spot'".

"Excuse me, but how many times do I have to run through this with you. My spot is ideally located –"

"Both in relation to the heat source in the winter and a cross breeze in the summer. It also faces the television at a direct angle allowing you to play games or watch television without having to talk to anyone. _We know _Sheldon," parroted an irritable Penny, attempting to shovel Thai food into her mouth without elbowing Leonard in the ribs.

From the floor, Howard stifled a laugh, "Honestly Leonard, don't bother – next time Bernie and I will bring fold-out chairs and setup camp."

Sheldon shook his head in disgust. "You most certainly will _not _be bringing any outdoor furniture into my apartment – who knows where they have been or how well they have been disinfected –"

Amy interjected, quickly. "So Bernadette – how go the wedding celebration plans? Is it almost time for a wild night of Bachelorette fun?" she said, sitting neatly between Bernadette and Sheldon on the couch.

"Oh, yes, very well – thank you!" gushed Bernadette, "As you know, the selection of venue has finally been decided! The place is just beautiful… the ceremony is going to be held outside and the reception indoors. It's coming up so fast… only a month away! As for the Bachelorette party, I left that one up to you didn't I…?"

Amy grinned and winked at Penny. "You most certainly did! Indigenous body painting… copious quantities of alcohol… naked men - "

Three pairs of male eyes darted up to look at the brunette, "_Excuse me_," began Sheldon, "Naked men? Now, Amy, isn't that a little over the top? Besides, the bachelorette party or 'hens night' dates back centuries; it's true purpose to ready the bride-to-be for a lifetime of subservience and child bearing."

"And now, in it's more modern form, is an outlet for the bachelorette to 'let her hair down'. Since the sexual revolution of the 60s, bachelorette parties have been widely accepted as a celebration of the bride's last night as a free woman – am I right Penny?" Amy countered, smirking.

Penny shifted in her awkward position and reached for her wine. "You are spot on, bestie. Now, speaking of parties – what do you boys have planned for Howard's bachelor party?"

Leonard paused and glanced at a very silent Raj. "Uhhh, we haven't exactly got anything planned –"

"And for all intents and purposes that is the way it will remain." Sheldon said, indignant.

"Oh, come on Sheldon, Leonard – Howard deserves a little fun before he's strung up with this lovely young woman!" Penny indicated to Bernadette, who grinned in response.

Leonard was concerned. He hadn't even considered a bachelor party for Howard, and didn't have a clue where to begin. This was going to take some thought, and soon.

Bernadette stood up. "Well, everyone – this has been lovely but we'd best be heading home before Mrs. Wolowitz starts calling Howie every five minutes."

With that, Raj rose too, and leant over to whisper in Howard's ear. "Fine, we'll give you a ride. And can you _please _stop calling me that," Howard joked, inducing a reddened face from his Indian friend. The trio headed off, bantering as they went.

Penny began to clear the plates, but Leonard stopped her. "Here, let me do that," he said chivalrously, "Anything for my lady."

The blonde giggled and sipped her wine, giving him her best bedroom eyes, "Why, thank you."

Since experimenting with dating only weeks earlier, the two had been inseparable. The relationship was doing better than ever; they were infatuated with one another all over again – much to Sheldon's aggravation.

Sheldon huffed, "Leonard, do I have to remind you of the newly updated Penny section of the Roommate Agreement?" he said, "Or do I need to get it out _again_?"

Leonard scowled, grabbed Penny's hand and headed for the door. "Sheldon, lay off. We will be heading over to Penny's tonight anyway – happy?"

"Very. Now, Amy – are you up for a late night game of Counterfactuals?" he turned to her, cards at the ready.

She peered through her glasses at him, smiling, and picked up her wine Penny had poured for her. "Of course Sheldon, you start."

He could hardly contain his excitement, "This is a new one I just popped in there," he said proudly, "In a world where zombies have taken over civilization, and man has to look to re-populate the earth, who are the survivors?"

Amy looked at him over her glass, perplexed. "Sheldon, that is preposterous. You know I am not a fan of your –"

"I know, I know – attempt the answer anyway, it is quite simple."

Leaning back into the couch, Amy crossed her arms over her chest. Only yesterday had she and her bestie, Penny, been discussing her and Sheldon's relationship. Penny had eagerly suggested she attempt harmless flirting, which Amy insisted she had no idea how to – her bestie promising her she would give her some tips at their next catch-up. Amy paused; perhaps this was a moment to stroke his ego?

She leaned in slightly, awkwardly. "Well, Sheldon, I believe that individual may be you," she smiled sweetly, swishing the liquid in her glass.

Sheldon beamed, missing the inference all together. "Why thank you Amy! Although, that's not the answer I was looking for. The answer would be…"

"I truly do think it would be you, Sheldon," she pressed, trying her luck. Making her best attempt to bat her eyelashes – which resulted in an eyelash getting caught somewhere -, she scooted over even more, causing him to jump and look at her quizzically.

"Amy Farrah Fowler, are you drunk – _again_?" he jeered, glaring, "You know, I do think you may need to start going to those AA meetings I found for you –"

Amy sighed in frustration and closed her eyes. _No_, she was _not _drunk, not yet anyway. His underwhelming response was enough to make her take another swig of her drink, much to his annoyance.

Placing her glass down, perhaps with a little too much force, she huffed. "You know what, Sheldon? It would be just swell if for once you could take a hint. Your blatant lack of awareness astounds me, given your high intellect."

"A hint? To what are you referring?"

Amy rose from her spot and straightened her skirt. "Never mind, it is not of importance. I'd best be going; I have a busy day at the lab ahead of me tomorrow." With that, she slung her handbag over her shoulder and walked to the door.

He looked at her intently, for the first time that evening. In her frumpy blue cardigan and grey skirt, with her shoulders slightly slumped, she looked tired. Sheldon couldn't put his finger on it but something wasn't quite right. "Good night, Amy – speak to you tomorrow?"

She turned, "Sure. Good night, Sheldon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alright – chapter two has arrived. I am still 'setting the scene' so to speak; given that the story is going to be relatively lengthy I am keen to not short-cut it at all. Also, I am a writer who is _huge _ on visuals – so to give everyone an idea on Amy's bun that is done in this chapter, look up images/videos of Mayim's hair at Comicon – that's what we're going for. Enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Two**

The very next evening, Penny, Amy and Bernadette were gathered around Penny's coffee table, giggling and sipping their drinks. Bernadette sat with her legs crossed on Penny's aqua couch, next to Amy, who was having her hair brushed by Penny.

"I must say, bestie, your touch is incredibly reassuring. Like the gentle caress of a lover…" Amy said dramatically, lolling her head to one side.

Penny stifled a laugh, "Um, Amy, what are you –" she paused, "Thank you?"

Bernadette reached for a hair tie and passed it to Penny. "You should pull her hair back into a bun; I've never seen you with your hair back Amy!"

Amy looked at her friend out of one eye and shrugged. "I don't really bother with enhancing my appearance, besides, haven't you noticed how much attention I have been receiving from the likes of your men? One moment; geekiest kid in school, the next; wanted by many."

"Oh, Amy," Penny laughed, "You make me laugh. There, doesn't that look cute?" Amy's hair was pulled back into a messy bun at the crown of her head.

Bernadette beamed; it looked lovely. "Perhaps you should wear your hair like that more often!"

"Perhaps around a certain boyfriend?" Penny pried, "Or on your next 'date night'? Or is that another month away?"

Amy rolled her eyes and shifted slightly. "No, no – I do believe that it falls this week actually. Although I honestly don't believe that he would notice if my hair were shaved off completely," she said, "On another topic – how are you and Leonard?"

The other two girls exchanged glances. They were concerned for their friend; she was not normally reluctant to speak about Sheldon. However, if she did not wish to discuss it, they weren't going to push her – not yet.

"We're doing great!" she said brightly, "Leonard seems so… grown up now. We don't seem to argue as much as we used to, and the sex is great."

Bernadette passed Penny her drink as she took a seat in the arm chair beside them. "Ooo, do tell us more!"

"Well," she said, swinging her legs up onto the chair, "It just seems like he's more experienced, you know, more mature about it. He takes me into account as well as himself. And some of the moves he has learnt -"

"Hoo!" Amy sounded, reddening instantly. Whilst sex was a topic of conversation at their infamous 'Girl's Nights', Amy was still becoming accustomed to speaking about the subject so freely. "When you say 'moves' do you refer to sexual positions?"

Penny laughed; Amy always managed to put it so clinically. "I suppose. He's certainly got some new tricks up his sleeve that are _very _impressive!"

Bernadette giggled, verging on the edge of tipsiness. "Well Penny, it's good to know that Leonard is good in the sack. It's a little tough to really get into it when your fiancé's mother is only a couple of doors down the hall, and she does not understand the concept of 'subtlety'."

Amy nodded, and threw down the last of her wine. "Fill me up, bestie!"

Penny went to the kitchen and opened a new bottle. "Amy – I have to ask; what's the deal with you and Sheldon? I know you've told us about this Relationship Agreement but it just seems… odd."

Amy, who was now having her nails painted by an intoxicated Bernadette, frowned at her friend. "There truly is not much to it – it is a 'relationship of the mind' as he puts it."

Penny passed her the fresh glass and took a seat. "Okay… how do you feel about that?"

Amy shrugged once again. "I don't know. It's great that we have an intellectually challenging and entertaining relationship, paired with sharing similar interests and hobbies…"

"But…?"

Amy started to look especially uncomfortable, and reached for her phone for an outlet. "I suppose he doesn't find me attractive enough."

Bernadette looked up from her messy paint job, "Nonsense, Amy – it's _Sheldon, _he doesn't know what he finds attractive in anything!"

Penny snatched the phone out of Amy's hand and put it back on the table. "Stop trying to change topics."

"Penny," Amy said, irritated, "It is quite clear that there is an issue. I am aware that my looks are not particularly appealing for a mate; not like yours anyway."

Penny touched the back of her friend's hand. "Amy, you are beautiful! I don't want to hear this talk any more. The problem does not lie with you; this is something Sheldon has to figure out on his own."

"He cares for you a lot, Amy, it's obvious." Bernadette soothed, "It just might take a bit to see the results of it all."

Penny smiled at her friend, "Honestly, Amy – I think that, in a lot of ways, you can do better. You may be a perfect match, but that doesn't mean it will necessarily work out. You have to feel like you're cared for; if you don't feel that's happening you need to start considering your options."

Amy sighed and looked at her friends. "I know," she said, "Anyway – this is not a fun topic for our girl's night. Now you –" she pointed at Bernadette, "need to get your busty self home so Penny and I can do some _planning_."

"Amy!" Penny scolded, "You can't just kick her out!"

"No, that's okay – I know what she's referring to. Besides, I'd better get home to see my Howie!" The tiny blonde made a quick phone call, and Howard was on his way to fetch her. Within ten minutes, she was gone.

Amy stretched in her spot and rose to go to the bathroom. "You know," she called, in front of the mirror, "I actually like my hair back like this, and it would be far more practical for work and I look rather hot, if I don't say so myself."

Penny laughed, "You certainly do! Although we _really_ need to look at those clothes you're wearing some time."

Taking a long look at herself and prodding at her many layers, Amy agreed. "I do tend to run out of options, my wardrobe is relatively sparse, especially compared to yours. Although, I do believe that it is important to maintain a unique style."

Penny was now fumbling through the clothing in her wardrobe, hunting for a suitable garment for her frumpy friend. She wholeheartedly agreed that it was important Amy maintain her 'style', and needed to find something suited to her.

"Amy, what do you actually like? Is there a certain style that you think looks nice?"

Amy plonked herself down onto the edge of Penny's bed, and laid back. "I don't know… I like comfortable attire – skirts, tights, cardigans, blouses – you know."

"No kidding," Penny said, under her breath, "Well, I think the whole 'girl nerd' look can be really cute – we'll find something for you…"

Amy glared at her blonde friend, who seemed to be disappearing into a sea of clothing. "Excuse me – what do you mean by 'girl nerd', that's not very – ooo that's nice!" Penny had pulled out a plain, mustard skater-style dress – fitted to the waist and flaring slightly from the hips with a small brown belt.

"Yeah, I bought this one off eBay – just can't bring myself to wear it; bit too conservative for my taste!" Penny threw the dress onto the bed and continued hunting. "Hey, I know! You should totally wear this to your date night with Sheldon!"

Amy groaned and propped herself up on her elbows. "I don't know, Penny, I'm quite comfortable in my own garments. And anyway, what colour tights and cardigan would go with that sort of dress?"

Penny rolled her eyes and sat down beside her. "None. You'll be a bare-legged, cardigan-less version of Amy. Now – what's the plan for Bernadette's bachelorette party? Are we still thinking Vegas?"

Amy grinned. "Yep! Oh and I have looked around at our options for the fertility symbol painting, and I was thinking –"

"Amy, honey?"

"Yes?"

"Not gonna happen. I was thinking we book out a gorgeous suite at a 5-star hotel, maybe go to a day spa and get some treatments done, hire a male stripper and hit the clubs! For say… two weeks time? What do you think?" Penny said excitedly.

Amy glared at her playfully. "Not like I was put in charge or anything. I suppose your plan sounds fine, though. Let's jump online and see what we can find."

With that, the two girls spent the remainder of the evening planning out Bernadette's bachelorette party. If only they knew what the boys had planned…


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Not much to comment on for this one… a little bit more of an insight into the Shamy relationship. Remember to review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Three**

"Nothing," Leonard said through clenched teeth, "I have not planned a _thing _for Howard's bachelor party. To be honest, until Penny mentioned it the other night it hadn't even crossed my mind…"

As normal, it was comic book night. Leonard, Sheldon and Raj were huddled around a comic book stand at their local store, fingering through countless editions of comics and discussing the plans – or lack thereof – for Howard's bachelor party.

"Oh, come on, dude," whined Raj, "We need to get this party planned, and fast. It's the perfect opportunity to meet some hot ladies."

Sheldon ignored his comment. "Gentlemen," he began, "I must say that I have absolutely zero desire to go gallivanting across the countryside to entertain a certain sexually fueled husband-to-be. And do not give me that look, Rajesh, I know _precisely _what goes on at bachelor parties."

Leonard and Raj exchanged exasperated looks and moved across to the adjacent comic book stand. "I knew he'd be a pain about this…"

Sheldon had caught up with them, "_Excuse me, _I am hardly 'being a pain'; merely addressing the issue at hand. How about we come to an appropriate compromise; we order take-out, play a few rounds of Warlords of Ka'a, perhaps some Halo and stay up to a later hour than usual?"

"Sheldon," Leonard said, annoyed, "that is precisely what we do every night of the week. Bachelor parties are supposed to be fun, you know, an opportunity to 'kick up our heals' a little."

Raj stifled a laugh, "Dude, it's not the set of 'Wizard of Oz', I certainly won't be kicking up my heals with you."

Leonard rolled his eyes and continued, "Whatever. I was thinking that we do something really out there – how about Vegas?"

"Ooo, I've always wanted to go to Vegas! What a lifestyle…" Raj chimed excitedly.

Sheldon groaned, "Really, Leonard, Vegas? The last time I went to Vegas I was 14; my mother had pulled me out of college for a splendid 'family vacation'. My father, however, felt that the vacation would be better spent at the casinos."

Leonard put down the comic he had been perusing. "Come on, Sheldon, it'll be fun!"

Raj nodded enthusiastically, and Sheldon huffed. "Fine – but I want a complete schedule of the activities that will be taking place, in advance if you don't mind, and no frivolous shenanigans either."

The trio continued shuffling through countless comic books, bickering about the events that would take place. They decided on booking the road trip for a fortnight's time. Luckily, Leonard had been able to convince Bernadette to demand that Howard spend a night at home with her for a change, and they could speak freely. Well, as freely as Sheldon would allow.

"I'm sorry, but strippers? Come now, Leonard – surely you are more intellectually advanced than to wish for strippers. It astounds me that you are even considering it – given your current relationship status with Penny."

"Oh – come on. She is not going to care, it's what you _do _at a bachelor party." Leonard said, "Besides, our relationship is going brilliantly."

"And we all know just how quickly that can turn around now don't we?" Sheldon muttered under his breath.

"Why do you have such an issue with it Sheldon? Scared of a lady's naked form?" Raj taunted, miming an hourglass figure in front of him.

Sheldon picked up his chosen comic and headed for the counter, ignoring him. "If this is what you decide to participate in, I will find an alternative solution for the evening. Very disappointing... my mother would have heart attack." He handed the comic across the counter, "Oh, why hello, Stuart."

The gawky, slender man gave him a half hearted smile and scanned his comic. "Sheldon. How you doing?"

"Well, thank you and you?"

"Fine, thanks. How's Amy?"

Leonard felt the tension in the air rise immediately; Stuart had not been a fan of Sheldon's since dating Amy, and took pleasure in riling him. Despite being inferior to Sheldon intellectually, he seemed to manage to get a rise out of him quite successfully.

Sheldon handed him the money for the comic and snatched it from him. "She, too, is well. I intend to head back to my apartment now and speak to her via video chat, as we do on a daily basis."

"Sounds….great. Let her know I said hi." Stuart said, returning to his sullen expression.

Sheldon turned and beckoned his two friends. "Unlikely. Good day, Stuart."

Walking back to the car, Leonard laughed. "Sheldon – what on earth was that about?"

Sheldon glanced at him as he hopped into the front seat of his car. "Leonard. It's quite clear that an lesser being such as Stuart acts upon his most baser instincts; he was acting like an animal. Unfortunately for myself, I had to defend my territory using my vastly superior intellect."

Raj leant forward from the back of the vehicle, "There was hardly any intellect used in _that _conversation, my friend, and I am certainly no expert…"

Sheldon whipped his head around and glared at his, mouth opening to speak. Quickly, Leonard cut him off. "Wait – what do you mean 'defend your territory'?"

Suddenly, the quick-witted doctor was at a loss for words. "Well – I…" he blubbered angrily. "Just get me home, I am not having this meaningless conversation with you."

Silence fell upon the car and Leonard continued driving, dropping Raj off at his apartment not long after. The two walked up the many flights of stairs to their apartment and once inside, Sheldon grabbed his laptop and headed for his room. That was the end of that conversation… 

* * *

><p>"Ring!" sounded the video chat dial tone, "Ring!"<p>

Sheldon was unimpressed. Leonard and Raj's behaviour at the comic book store was deplorable, both in relation to the bachelor party and his girlfriend. He had stormed into their apartment and quickly setup in his room, wishing to remain undisturbed. As usual, he was now calling Amy, awaiting her response – which was taking far longer than usual.

Finally, an image flickered onto his screen. "Good evening, Sheldon."

"Hello Amy Farrah Fowler!" He smiled back at the brunette, who seemed to be a little flustered, wearing no glasses and her hair messy as ever. "You appear to be slightly disheveled?"

She smiled and exhaled deeply, "Apologies – I have had an awfully hectic day chasing monkeys around the lab; it appears that depriving them of nicotine for a period any longer than 12 hours was not such a wise idea. I fell asleep on the couch. Hold on one second – let me go find my glasses."

He watched quite intently as she rose off the couch and wandered around to her kitchen, hunting for her glasses. Something struck him as odd, and he peered closer at the screen. Amy was not in her usual attire; it appeared that she was wearing an oversized Tweety Bird t-shirt, and given the angle of the screen he couldn't see what she was wearing on her bottom half -

"There we go," she chirped as she sat back down, hauling her laptop onto her lap and making him jump, "Now I can see you!"

Sheldon smirked and shook his head. "Really, Amy? Tweety Bird?"

Amy straightened her glasses and felt her face blush. "Well, if you hadn't called later than normal I wouldn't have been in my sleeping attire now would I?"

"Did you know that there were Tweety Bird comics released between the years of 1954 and 1972? I believe they were entitled '_Tweety and Sylvester_'; perhaps you could come down to the comic book store and we could look for them?" Sheldon began, then stopped, remembering Stuart. "Actually – never mind – I remember, you don't like comics at all."

Amy looked at him, a little perplexed. "That's correct. Besides, it's only a bed shirt – it has no sentimental value to me whatsoever." Sheldon watched as Amy stared at the screen carefully, now able to see clearly. "Where _are _you Sheldon?"

It wasn't easy to make out the location, but Amy could have sworn that the dimly lit space resembled a bedroom. Sheldon moved awkwardly on his bed and turned the laptop around, revealing the room. "In my room."

Amy looked around, she had never been in his bedroom properly before. It was no surprise to her; neatly organised and clean, with everything in its perfectly appointed place. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable.

"Sheldon, you don't like anyone going into your room, not without notice and consent, that is."

He spun the laptop back around to face him. "True, but technically you're not _in _my room. Your physical presence is not located here, so I felt I could make an exception."

"Why exactly are you in there? Things not going so well with Leonard?"

Sheldon huffed and leant forward. "Leonard is just irritating me; his lack of consideration for others and blatant disregard for my intellect astonish me. He clearly is not even remotely close to my caliber."

Amy nodded profusely in agreement. "It's true. Sounds like he's done a top job at pissing you off."

Sheldon glared at her; Penny's ways were rubbing off, and fast. "Yes, if you must put it that way. He and Raj are currently attempting to organize plans for Howard's bachelor party – which I am most against, as you can imagine."

Amy was silent for a moment, "Sheldon, perhaps you need to lighten up a little on the whole subject. Is it really going to have that much of an affect on you?"

Sheldon grumbled, "Not you too."

"Look at it this way," she reasoned, "In order to successfully maintain your group's pecking order – in which clearly you are their dutiful leader – sometimes you've got to make sacrifices."

Sheldon pondered this for a moment, and brightened. "Perhaps you are right, Amy. In maintaining their happiness on this rare occasion I remain their faithful leader, keeping them loyal to me at all times. You do have some wonderful suggestions."

Amy sighed and leant back on her couch, considering the compromise she had just brought Sheldon to. It was too early to inform him of their Vegas plans – if ever. "I know. Oh, by the way, what did you want to do for our date night this week – I believe it is this Thursday?"

"It is! I had actually been thinking, I've been wanting to go look at that new exhibit down at the Pasadena Museum of History –"

Amy rolled her eyes and cut him off. "Sheldon, you and I could go look at that exhibit any time – it's our _date night_; the one that we have once in a whole month, why don't we do something a little more… quixotic."

"Hmm," he mused, "I suppose. Do I detect a hint of disdain in our monthly date nights?"

Amy shifted the screen slightly and reached across for her beverage. "Well, it's just that their occurrence is terribly limited, and it seems only logical to schedule events suitable for the given title of the evening."

Sheldon frowned, "I didn't realize that our monthly date nights were insufficient – you signed the Relationship Agreement; I thought everything was in order?"

_For some of us, maybe, _she thought. "Look, when they do come around, they're great. It would just be nice if they were more… frequent."

"Amy, when you became my _girlfriend _I explicitly explained that I did not want anything to change; physical or otherwise. Introducing a date night into our Relationship Agreement was a big thing for me."

Amy sighed. "Sheldon, I do understand and I accept that completely – but how are our date nights any different from any other night we spend together?"

She had a point. Typically speaking, the introduction of 'date nights' to their relationship hadn't had hardly any affect on Sheldon, aside from altering his usual plans for that particular evening. He thought back to their most recent date, their second to be precise; they had gone to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner and taken a stroll afterwards. Or was that what they did on their first date? Sheldon wasn't sure… they definitely went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner both times… perhaps they should do something different.

"Fine. How about we go to the movies and see what fascinating documentaries they have showing, and then go for dinner afterwards?" Sheldon proposed, quite impressed with his compromising skills for that evening.

Amy was taken aback slightly, she had not expected any sort of negotiation. "That sounds great, Sheldon. I'd like that very much."

He gave her a lopsided smile; the one that she adored and secretly felt was reserved for her. Sheldon checked his watch and realized it was far beyond his regular bed time. "Well, it appears I must be off to bed. Good night Amy."

She grabbed the top of her laptop in preparation to close it and smiled mischievously, "'Night, Cuddles."

And she was gone; the only thing left in her place on the video chat screen was a frozen image of her – smiling, hair messy and glasses slightly skewed. Sheldon decided he would leave his laptop open for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay for the next chapter! Once again, for those of you who like a visual; images of the mustard skater dress that I refer to can be found by simply looking up images of 'mustard skater dress' in your chosen search engine (especially the variations with cap or three-quarter sleeves). It's very suited to her character; feminine, a little nerdy and not too over-the-top. For the glasses I refer to, think Ray Ban Wayfarers (actually, once again have a look at Mayim at Comicon – the glasses she's wearing there).  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Four**

Once again, Amy was sprawled out on Penny's bed, covered in pile upon pile of clothing. It was only hours before she had to meet Sheldon at their apartment, and Penny had insisted that she keep up with her 'bargain' about dressing up.

"Penny," she whined, "I really, _really _don't think this is such a great idea. I mean, having you dress me and make me look to your standard is such an honour but I don't know…"

Penny ducked out of the bathroom, mustard dress in one hand, brown ankle boots in the other. "Sweetie – whether you like it or not I am dressing you up all pretty for your date. It's about time you showed Sheldon what you've got!"

Amy sat up, taking the dress from her. "What I've got? What I've got is the most beautiful bestie in the whole world trying to superficially enhance someone who cannot be superficially enhanced. What you have here is, as they say, an 'epic fail'."

Penny shooed her into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. "Shut up and get changed. I'll help you zip you up when you're back."

Aggravated, Amy began taking off her many layers of clothes and pulled the dress over her head. Instantly it was an inch or two above her knee and she tried pulling it down but nothing worked. She opened the bathroom door and turned for Penny to zip it up.

"Hand me the belt," Penny said, and Amy passed it to her, "There – perfect. Turn around…"

Amy turned to her friend and started fiddling with the hem line again, attempting to pull it closer to the floor. Penny beamed, "Amy – that looks _beautiful_! You have got a rockin' bod under all those layers!"

Amy blushed and walked over to her full-length mirror. "Why thank you, Penny – I know that of course," she joked, "This does look quite nice, but it's pretty revealing…"

She examined herself closely – the dress drew in her waist and accentuated her bust and hips. Looking at her legs, pale and slender, she groaned. "Penny – I can't wear this I need some tights or something –"

"No, you don't." Penny insisted, pulling her friend over to sit on the bed and clambering behind her to tie her hair back. "It's about time you took some more pride in your physical self."

Amy rolled her eyes; it was hopeless. "Well can I at least wear a cardigan? What if the temperature drops unexpectedly?"

"Fine you can take a cardigan, though you're hardly going to need it…"

"Good." Amy sighed, "Penny – is there really any point in all of this preparation and preening? I don't really think Sheldon cares what attire I am sporting –"

Penny finished her hair and came around to the front of her. "It doesn't matter – do you feel good?"

"Yes – a little underdressed and uncomfortable but –"

"There, see, you feel great; that's all that matters." Penny passed her the boots and she put them on. "Now let's just finish you off and you'll be good to go!"

* * *

><p>Across the hall, two self-confessed nerds were sitting around doing very little. Leonard was playing Call Of Duty: Black Ops quietly on their couch whilst Sheldon stood in front of his whiteboard, assessing his formulas and making notes here and there.<p>

"Hmm," he huffed, adding a digit to his equation. He was having some difficulty concentrating on his work, and he just couldn't figure out why.

"Hmm," he huffed again, louder, placing his marker onto the counter and plonking himself in his spot.

Leonard paused his game and looked up, exasperated. "Sheldon, what is the problem now?"

"The problem, Leonard, is that I am having an incredibly harrowing time focusing on my work. There is something that is impeding my ability to process incoming and outgoing information, very irritating. Is this the kind of trouble you have sometimes Leonard?" Sheldon said dramatically, throwing his head back onto the couch.

Leonard rolled his eyes, resuming his game. "Well, what's on your mind? Perhaps the reason why you're experiencing a mental block is because you're subconsciously thinking about others things?"

Sheldon sighed and considered Leonard's proposal. Was he subconsciously distracted by something? He had been a little concerned about his relationship with Amy recently…

"You know, Leonard," he began, "Perhaps you're right on this rare occasion. I have been quite preoccupied with my relationship with Amy; it seems she is keen to spend more – you'll have to excuse me – 'romantic' time together. Women truly are a dangerous distraction."

Leonard shrugged. "I can definitely see why Amy _would _feel that way – your Relationship Agreement seems to be pretty restrictive…"

"Nonsense Leonard! It is an ideal way to ensure that our relationship is carefully planned and negotiated –"

"Sure, Sheldon, but I don't think Amy got to have much input during its creation…" Leonard said, cutting him off.

Sheldon paused. This was true. Well, what more could she wish for? The agreement was thorough and covered everything that needed to be covered. Perhaps he would have to discuss it with her that night, much to his dismay.

There was a knock at the door, and Leonard got up to answer it; Sheldon too preoccupied with his thoughts.

"Hi Amy – wow you look _amazing_!"

Sheldon was suddenly snapped back to reality, and reared his head around to see why his friend was complimenting his girlfriend with such vigour.

"Thank you, Leonard, but you know that we'll never work out. We can't do that to Penny." She joked, stepping past him into their living area.

Sheldon's breath caught in his chest as he stared at her. Amy was most certainly _not _her typical looking self this evening. He couldn't take his eyes off her, for what felt like an eternity. She wore a dress that was – in his estimation – quite short, in an odd shade of yellow that he didn't have a name for. It hugged her figure; a figure he had never truly noticed before. Her hair was pulled away from her face and twisted into a messy form at the back of her head, and she wore large, black framed glasses that made her eyes look wide. Legs were bare, arms were bare…

"Hello, Sheldon." She said politely, frightened of his reaction – he had not moved since her arrival.

Sheldon knew he had to acknowledge her properly; it was only polite, yet he felt aggravation inside him. He didn't like it. "Hello, Amy. You look… different."

Amy instantly felt disappointed, this had been a bad idea. Leonard came to her rescue, "_Different? _Sheldon, she looks –"

"She looks _what, _Leonard? How does she look?" he burst, rising out of his spot, "Come on Amy, let's go."

He grabbed his jacket and sauntered through the door, a confused Amy following closely behind him. They began to descend the many flights of stairs.

"Sheldon, is everything alright?" She said quietly, racing to keep up with him in her 'new' boots.

"Yes, everything's fine."

Amy bit her lip and decided to leave it at that. Once at her car, they both clambered in and headed for the cinemas.

Sheldon sat, with him arms crossed across his chest, in silence. He didn't know what to think. Each time she depressed the clutch to change gears, he noticed her dress would move another inch up her thigh and that was positively _distracting. _Something was wrong…

They pulled up at the cinemas and headed for the queue.

"How has your day been, Sheldon?" Amy began, attempting to strike up some sort of conversation.

He indicated to the attendant the movie they wished to see and the number of tickets, and paid. "Fine, thank you, and you?"

"Very productive, actually – today we began to correlate some of the very first of our results for the nicotine studies… quite intriguing, I will have to present them to you once they are complete." She dug around in her bag, and pulled out some cash. "Here; for the tickets."

Sheldon shook his head, unable to make eye contact with her. "Don't be silly, it's our date night, I will be paying."

Amy smiled and they headed for the theatre. "Thank you."

The movie began soon after; a documentary on the universe – not Sheldon's first pick but their local cinema had no more enthralling selections. He – of course – was familiar with all aspects of the film and spent the time contemplating his current dilemma. Amy's look for the evening was intriguing, he would admit that; even her upturned hand on the armrest looked appealing to him. What was happening to him? He didn't regularly find anything physically 'appealing' about any female.

He moved awkwardly in his seat and frowned. For many couples, a date night at the cinemas meant many things; hand-holding, cuddling, kissing; he shuddered at the thought of initiating such activity. Thankfully he had written all of these issues into their Relationship Agreement, and was not obliged to have to do so…

After the movie, the couple decided to grab Chinese and take it back to Sheldon's apartment. Rushing ahead of her to unlock the door and let her in, Sheldon noticed Leonard had left for the evening. Amy began to prepare the Chinese into bowls on the counter, and he just couldn't help but look at her again. The dress did look nice…

"Amy." He began in a firm voice, "I need to discuss something with you."

She turned, passing him a bowl and feeling uncomfortable with his statement. "What would that be?"

He took a seat across from her at the counter. "For the first time in our relationship, you are making me feel awfully uncomfortable."

She frowned and put down her fork. "How so?"

He looked at her for a moment, sighing. Never had he seen her hair away from her face like it was; she looked young, fresh, and alive. It was very flattering. From the angle he sat at, he could also see a fair way down her décolletage, the slightly scooped neckline showing off her collarbones and cleavage.

"I just don't feel very comfortable with the way you look this evening." He said carefully.

Amy felt her heart sink. "You don't like it?"

"No – well, yes, but… there's so much of you on display and I didn't consider this in the Relationship Agreement –"

Suddenly, Amy felt her anger rising. "You don't _approve?_"

"Precisely." He said, untactfully.

Amy pushed away her seat from the bench and glared at him. "Whether you _approve_ of the way I look is unimportant. Penny helped me out, and I happen to think I look quite nice –"

Sheldon nodded and rolled his eyes. "Ah, Penny. This makes sense now."

"_No!_ This has _nothing _to do with Penny; this is about me! I wanted to look better, I wanted to feel good about who I am, to celebrate who I am!" She said, angry and upset.

Sheldon's face had progressively gotten redder and redder as the argument carried on. "Amy, you know I like the way you look regularly – I just don't like the fact that there is _so much_ of you to be seen."

Amy made a face, shocked by his words. "Do I not appeal to you, Sheldon? Do you find me unattractive?"

"No – I didn't mean – did you _see _the way some of the males at the cinemas were looking at you?" He replied angrily, unsure of his answer to her question.

She stood up out of her chair, choking back tears. "At least they were goddamn looking, Sheldon!"

Sheldon felt sick; he hadn't meant to upset her. He eyed her carefully; aware she was on the brink of tears. "Amy, what is this about?"

She reached for her bag and slung it onto her shoulder. "I don't think I can do this, Sheldon."

He jumped out of his chair, chasing her. "Do what? What are you talking about?"

"Do _us_, Sheldon."

It took him a moment to process what she was saying. "Is this – are you breaking up with me?"

The words came out of his mouth, broken. She couldn't believe the heartache she was feeling. "No," she touched his cheek, softly, "It's not. I just need someone who desires me in every way, not just on an intellectual level. I just need some time."

With that, she turned her back and left his apartment.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay – this chapter is a little bit of a 'filler'; I was keen to get something in that provided an insight into how the couple was feeling. Enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Five**

"Alrighty, boys – what can I get ya?" Chirped a bright Penny the following night at the Cheesecake Factory. "The usual?"

Sitting around their regular table were Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj. They were unusually quiet; Sheldon still perusing over the menu whilst Raj showed Leonard and Howard the handy apps on his newly acquired iPhone.

"Um, hey, Penny." Leonard gave her a small smile. "I think we'll just have the usual… Sheldon?"

Sheldon glared and snapped the menu closed. "If you believe that's what I'll have then go on, order 'the usual'. Or perhaps I would be more appealing to you all if I ordered something diverse, like the Blueberry Banana Pancakes. Oh, wait, that's right – I can't do that because I always have _the usual_."

Penny stared at him, shocked with his sudden outburst. "Jeez Louise what is up with you?" She looked to Leonard for guidance; he shrugged and put his head down. "Okay… the usual it is!"

Away she went, order in hand. Howard cleared his throat. "Looks like _someone _forgot to take their chill pill this morning!"

Sheldon glared at him too and pushed away from the table abruptly. "I'm going to go wash up."

Leonard watched him saunter away and put his head on the table, exhausted. "Ugh, he's been driving me insane!"

"What's been going on?" Raj asked.

He put his head up just as Penny brought them their drinks. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. He spoke to me the other day about Amy… said he was having some trouble; didn't really go into much detail."

"Now why doesn't _that_ surprise me. She's a woman and she has needs." Howard joked, and then frowned. "Or does she?"

Raj and Leonard smirked at their friend, however Penny piped up. "Hey! Go easy on her, she most certainly does have needs, just like every other woman." She smiled sarcastically at Howard. "But you would know all about that now, wouldn't you?"

Leonard laughed at his now-girlfriend, "Go easy…"

Sheldon arrived back at the table and took his seat. Penny stood by for a moment, curious to see if his aggressive behaviour would continue.

"Penny, I do think that there are other patrons waiting to be served," Sheldon snapped, "So unprofessional…"

Penny rolled her eyes and headed to the ladies bathroom to use her phone. It seemed that something was particularly wrong with Sheldon, and decided to text Amy.

_What is up with your boyfriend Ames? How did the date night go by the way? _She wrote and tucked her phone back into her apron. In no time she was back at the boys' table, handing out their meals.

"So Howard – we can't really hide _all _of the details from you; we'll be heading off this Saturday around midday and you'll need to pack enough for one night." Leonard said chewed a mouthful of his burger.

Howard grinned and wriggled his eyebrows, rubbing his hands together. "Oh I am _so_ looking forward to this!"

Raj took a swig of his beer and smiled, "Oh, so am I – Vegas here we come!"

"_You're _going to Vegas? This Saturday? Ugh!" Penny groaned, "You're kidding, right?"

Leonard frowned at her. "No, not kidding at all… why?"

"We're taking Bernadette to Vegas this Saturday for her bachelorette party! Oh, this is not good," She said, fumbling around for her phone, "I'll have to tell Amy – although we can't cancel the booking this late –"

Penny paused and looked at her phone intently. Her jaw dropped, "Sheldon! What the _hell_? You told Amy you didn't like the way she looked last night? What is wrong with you?"

"Is that what's going on? You told her she looked bad? Sheldon you should _never_ say that to a girl – even I know that…" Leonard said, shaking his head.

Raj piped up too, have sipped his beer moment prior, "Yeah, dude, that's low."

Sheldon huffed angrily and put down his fork, roughly. "For your information, that is most certainly _not_ what occurred. I was uncomfortable with the way her attire made her look –"

Penny snatched their menus and tucked them under her arm. "Look what, Sheldon? Look gorgeous?"

"Well, yes – but I just didn't appreciate the fact that there was so much of her to be seen –"

Penny shook her head and gave him a disapproving look. "Sheldon, considering how smart you are you're pretty darn insecure. Amy looked beautiful last night, and she felt really good about herself. You need to admit that you're jealous, and hate to see anyone else checking her out."

Sheldon remained stubborn. "I am a creature of superior intelligence and I am _not _swayed by such feelings as jealousy or insecurity –"

"Some days, Sheldon, she deserves a hell of a lot better than you." Penny finished and stormed off.

* * *

><p>The instant she finished up her shift, Penny was knocking on Amy's door.<p>

Amy answered, looking tired and sad. "Hey, bestie. Come in."

Penny followed her in and threw herself on the couch. "Tell me everything…"

Amy looked at her, head cocked to the side. "Everything? Penny, that would take an awfully long time –"

"No, Ames, not _everything _– everything about what happened with Sheldon."

Amy took a seat beside her friend. "Ah," She said, "Well, there isn't much to tell… I went over to his apartment, he acted oddly… we went to the movie, got some dinner… and he told me he didn't approve of the way I looked. Something about 'too much on show'."

Penny waited; she knew Amy was acting strong. She looked around her friend's apartment; usually meticulously clean and neat, instead it was messy – clothes strewn across the floor and paperwork scattered on her desk. Penny knew this was a bad sign for Amy.

Amy sighed, sensing Penny's anticipation. "I don't know what more to tell you… I got quite upset at him, told him I needed time –"

"Wait – you didn't _break up_ with him did you?

"No, no – I just told him I needed some time." She repeated. "He… he essentially said he was concerned by the way other men at the cinemas were looking at me - which I can assure you they were _not_. I just don't understand him – he asked me to be his girlfriend, under the premise that nothing would change… and yet he acts like this?"

Penny pulled her legs up onto the couch next to Amy, getting more comfortable. "Sweetie, I think the problem is that Sheldon has never felt this way before. He considers you 'his'; he's jealous."

Amy made a face. "Why?"

"Well, I'd say that because you looked hot last night he worries that he'll lose you to another man. He just doesn't want to admit it; this is Sheldon we're talking about…"

"Hmm, interesting," Amy mused. "So you're saying that Sheldon feels obliged to protect his mate against potential future mates?"

Penny smirked, "I'd say he feels a little more strongly than 'obliged'."

Amy hopped up and grabbed a drink for each of them. "Penny, since I've met Sheldon and the rest of our group I've felt… different. I was always a woman of knowledge and intellect; my life devoted purely to science. I scheduled a date with Sheldon to appease my mother, who desperately wants me to have a stable, child-bearing relationship in my life, and yet found myself enjoying this new world." She sat back down, facing Penny. "Penny – I really like Sheldon."

Penny sighed and put an arm around her friend. "Naw, I know honey. I think it's just going to take some time for him to realize what he feels too."

"And what if he never does?" Amy asked, fragile. "What if he isn't at all physically attracted to me? I used to tell myself I was an individual who didn't require human intimacy, who was fine leading a life exclusively alone. But now I don't know – I do find myself craving physical contact, for security as much as pleasure."

Penny smiled at her friend, who was now comfortably resting on her shoulder. "That's ok; that's normal! I _assure_ you he finds you attractive; I can see it. Honestly though, if you feel you can't wait for him you've got to move on, don't do that to yourself – or him."

A small vibrating sound came from the coffee table and Amy reached for her phone. "It's from Sheldon," she said to Penny, "he wants to know if he can swing by the lab tomorrow morning to catch up with me."

Penny shrugged gently and reached for her drink. "It's your call, sweetie."

Amy thought for a moment; what did she want? She had never, ever met someone like Sheldon – so similar to her, so intelligent, so special. They had so much fun together; challenging one another, making each other smile.

"I'll tell him he can come visit, I think I need to hear what he has to say." Amy said finally.

Penny winked at her and grabbed the television remote. "Good choice. Think I might stay here tonight, that ok with you?"

Amy grinned cheekily. "Anything for you, bestie!"

* * *

><p>It was the early hours of the following morning, and Sheldon could not sleep. He was tired, frustrated and felt ill. It had been days since he had slept through the night seamlessly, and – for once – he knew the cause.<p>

Irritated, he threw back his neatly tucked bed covers and leant against the headboard. He should have been spending time mulling over his many equations, but could not focus.

It was Amy.

Ever since their heated argument nights before, Sheldon could not get her out of his head. The thought of her face, eyes filled with tears, made his stomach twist and turn. Although he didn't like to admit it, the feeling in his gut was most certainly guilt.

Sheldon crossed his arms across his chest and huffed. Just to add to his dilemma, not only did he feel guilty he felt… odd. He could not seem to resist thinking about her fair skin, her exposed legs and the way her chest rose and fell when she laughed.

He truly thought that she had looked _beautiful._

This was new for Sheldon. Very new. He was smart; he knew when to appreciate something that was aesthetically pleasing – despite what others might say about him. The problem he faced was the physical reaction his body had when he thought about her; his breathing hitched, heart raced and he had an urge to take her away from the world and keep him to himself.

Was that what this was about?

Was Penny right? Could it be that jealousy was rearing its ugly head once again? Sheldon had experienced his first case of jealousy just prior to asking her to be his girlfriend - though he would never openly admit it to anyone else. There was, however, no suitor; no 'other man' to fuel his jealousy. He simply did not want her to be seen looking so wonderful by any other man's eyes.

Perhaps he was insecure.

Sheldon frowned at his own thought and ran a hand through his hair. There was so much going for him; he was exceptionally, freakishly intelligent, lined up to win a Nobel prize one day and gain copious quantities of acknowledgement and praise for his achievements.

It just didn't seem enough.

He missed Amy and wished he could speak to her as he normally would when he had troubles. He wished he could tell her he was sorry for being weak; for having this ridiculously 'human' fault.

He wished he could hold her without being afraid.

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, after leaving her bestie asleep in her bed, Amy wandered into her laboratory to begin work for the day. The day did not reflect her mood; it was bright and sunny, neither of which she felt.<p>

After slipping on her lab coat, she pulled her hair back into her new 'messy bun' hairstyle and got started. She stood at her computer that was on the counter and continued correlating results, just as she had done for the past few days.

The neurobiologist almost jumped out of her skin when she heard a familiar three knocks and her name, repeated perfectly three times.

"It's open, Sheldon."

Sheldon came through the doorway and stood at the end of the bench. "Hello, Amy." He said quietly, watching her every movement.

Amy finally looked up to acknowledge him. He looked exhausted. "Sheldon."

There was an awkward moment of silence while the pair exchanged looks. Sheldon noticed her hair was back the way it had been on their date, though perhaps a little less tidy. Under her lab coat she wore no tights and no cardigan; just a skirt and blouse. He forced down the feeling that boiled in his gut.

"I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing," he began uncomfortably, "I've felt very… off since our little spat the other evening."

Amy looked away, back to her work. "I see. Why is that?"

Sheldon bit the inside of his lip and shuffled. "I think the emotion I have been experiencing is guilt. Given your keen insight into the human heart and mind, perhaps you might be able to clarify this for me?" He said, trying his luck at measly compliments.

Amy did not falter, merely looked back at him. "What kind of symptoms have you been suffering?"

"Difficulty focusing, frustration, insomnia, nausea… thinking about the situation over and over." He listed, taking a seat in the chair near her.

Amy looked at him closely, searching for lies. "It sounds like guilt,"

She said, "Could simply be a case of 'bad boyfriend'. Do you have a fever?"

She reached out the back of her hand to his forehead; a test. As her skin made contact with his, he flinched slightly – a reflex reaction. _Breathe, _he thought, _it's just Amy._

Retracting her hand like it had been scolded, she sighed quietly and turned back to her work. Sheldon felt awful. "Amy, I –"

"It's okay, I understand." She said sadly.

He felt like slapping himself in the head now. "No, you don't. The reason I behaved like I did the other evening was because I was jealous."

_It's a start, _she thought. "What on earth would you be jealous of, Sheldon? Your girlfriend attracting a little supposed attention from other men?"

Sheldon squirmed in his seat. "Well, yes."

Amy took a moment to process everything that was occurring before her eyes. She could simply forgive him and continue on their relationship as normal, but would anything change? Or would he struggle to handle his emotions every time he felt conflicted? "Sheldon, I think you need to seriously consider all of the emotions that you are experiencing, and formulate some sort of results." She paused, knowing to an extent she would regret her decision. "Just give me a few more days."

Disappointed, he rose from the chair and came to stand in front of her. The proximity made both of their hearts flutter. "Fine," he said quietly. "Will I see you in Vegas?"

Amy sighed. "Perhaps; Penny told me you would all be there at the same time as us."

"Goodbye, Amy Farrah Fowler." He said and headed for the door.

She could have sworn she felt his hand brush hers.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities

**Description:** When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.

**Author's Note: **Okay, this chapter's a big one, an exciting one! It's certainly setting the scene for many bigger things to come so stay tuned...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Six**

An overly excited Penny threw her brightly coloured luggage into the back of her small car. "Come on, girls, it's Vegas time!"

Bernadette giggled and hoisted her bag in, "This is just so exciting!"

"It most certainly is," Amy said, shuffling the bags around to allow for the best fit. "Where did you say we needed to pick up Mary and Jessica from, Bernadette?"

Penny and Amy had decided to invite two of Bernadette's closest friends from her lab, Mary and Jessica – Penny claiming that 'the more, the merrier' on any bachelorette party evening.

"Just around the block, not far, here's the address…"

And they were off. After picking up the two other girls, Penny headed for the high way, eager to arrive as soon as possible. Amy sat up front, navigating and playing referee to an inappropriate game of eye spy.

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with… S!" came the shrill voice of Jessica, squished in beside Bernadette.

Bernadette looked around frantically, looking for whatever it was that had caught her eye. "Hmm… how about… oh I know! Sex store!" She giggled, pointing to the warehouse like building as they flew past it.

Amy rolled her eyes. "You know, Bernie, it could have been 'stop sign' – like the one _Penny just drove through!"_

Penny smirked at her friend and gave her an angelic expression. "Sorry!"

"How could I resist that gorgeous face?" Amy cooed, turning to face her three silly girlfriends in the back seat. "Which one of you brought the jelly shots? I don't think you should be doing that in a moving vehicle –"

"That would be me," piped up Mary from the right of Bernadette, throwing another down as she went, "Can't really spill jelly shots in the car!"

Amy sighed and gave in. "Oh, come on then – gimme one…"

"Go easy, ladies, we've still got to make it to the day spa before we check in, and I am _so _not letting you ruin my chances of getting a manicure…" Penny joked.

As they closed in on Sin City, the girls became more and more excited… this was going to a very wild night…

* * *

><p>Only miles away, dumped right in the heart of Vegas, were Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj, checking into their luxurious apartment suite.<p>

Sheldon had insisted they leave at 'the crack of dawn' to ensure that they would miss traffic and Leonard wouldn't feel any pressure to evade road laws. As Leonard handed over his credit card details, Sheldon whined.

"Leonard," he began, "can you _please _clarify that the bathroom has been carefully sterilized with the list of chemicals I specially faxed through yesterday afternoon – oh and also, request full details as to their laundry service facilities; I may need to go and re-wash the sheets –"

Leonard rolled his eyes and ignored him. "Don't listen to him, he's a bit crazy." He said to the receptionist.

"I'm not, my mother had me tested!"

Howard ushered him over to the elevator. "Come on now, buddy, let's go find this room…"

The apartment was located on one of the top floors, featuring two bedrooms, a kitchenette and hot tub. Sheldon frowned as he walked in and groaned.

"Woah, this is amazing!" Raj said, "Perfect bachelor pad!"

Howard put his luggage down and flopped onto the couch. "You guys, this is awesome. Thank you so much!" He sat up, and gave his friends a cheeky grin. "Now, what's the plan?"

Leonard looked up from the hotel's in-house menu. "If we told you, we'd have to kill you."

Sheldon was wandering around the apartment nervously, looking for a place to setup his laptop. "This place does have Wi-Fi doesn't it?" He pulled it out of his bag and placed it on the wooden desk, sitting by the window. "This position could get quite warm, and I'm not sure whether I can see the television…"

Raj came back, beer in hand. Sheldon scowled, "Raj, it's ten in the morning!"

His Indian friend smiled goofily, "Happy hour! So many gorgeous, Vegas dwelling women to come find Rajesh!"

Sheldon rushed off to find a suitable bed. "Shotgun this one!" He called from one of the rooms.

"You might not even get a chance to sleep in it if this night goes well Sheldon!" Howard called from the couch, obtaining a laugh from his other friends.

Sheldon reappeared in the doorway. "And _what_, may I ask, does that mean? Leonard?"

Leonard huffed. "Nothing Sheldon, nothing. Come on, let's get unpacked and head for one of those cool game arcades we spotted on the way in!"

The other three men nodded in agreement and began unpacking… what a perfect way to spend the afternoon…

* * *

><p>Night had almost fallen in Vegas, and the five girls had come back to their modern penthouse-styled suite after a relaxing afternoon at a local day spa.<p>

Amy was picking at her now bright red fingernails. "This feels very strange… I'm not such a fan of nail varnish, it has a strong chemical odour."

Penny laughed and turned on the stereo, flicking over to find something a little up-tempo. "Stop picking at them! They look so pretty!" She admired her own and grinned.

Bernadette and Mary were checking out the view from the balcony, whilst Jessica stocked the bar fridge with drinks. "I think we've brought a little much alcohol…" The redhead mused, squeezing bottles wherever she could find a spot.

"Never!" Penny called from one of the two bedrooms, "Did you _see_ the size of these beds?"

Amy followed her in, only to find her sprawled out on the huge king-sized mattress. She laughed, "So, where are we off to next?"

Penny sat up, leaning on her elbows. "We all need to get dressed up 'cause we're going clubbing ladies!"

A cheer of agreement sounded from the living area. Amy looked at Penny quizzically. "I've never been clubbing before. Unless you count that one time in grad school when my supposed 'friends' took me 'clubbing'… turned out to be a filthy brothel which I had to find my way home from…"

Penny stared at her friend, shocked. "Um, no, honey… look, let's get you dressed up and get out of here!"

The five girls spent the next few hours getting ready, drinks in hand, giggling and mucking around as they went. It wasn't long until they ventured out to find a nightclub…

* * *

><p>"Hellooooo ladies of Vegas!" Shouted a rather intoxicated Raj from the balcony of the boys' apartment. After spending the entire afternoon at a nearby game arcade, they were full of beans and ready for their next venture - all except for Sheldon.<p>

Leonard laughed and pulled Raj away from the edge. "Get back inside before you fall off…"

Howard sat on the couch, scanning the channels for something to watch. He was bored. "Come on, you guys, let's _do_ something… we're in Vegas!"

Sheldon sat at his laptop, an irritated expression on his face. "But this is great – we could simply sit around here, watch some pay-per-view movies, surf the Internet for no purpose whatsoever…"

Leonard dragged Raj back through the sliding doors. "Well... Howard, we didn't really plan this out to well. We sort of thought we'd arrive in Vegas and _bam_ we'd be having all sorts of bachelor party fun."

Howard sighed. "I should not have left this task up to you. How about we check out the casinos? Go try our luck?"

"Are there beautiful women at the casinos?" Raj said, now sitting beside him, dazed.

"Sure there are. Sheldon, Leonard – let's go!"

* * *

><p>"Penny!" Amy shouted over the loud music, "This is positively fascinating! Why have we not done this before?"<p>

Penny was charging through the crowd, trying to keep up with Bernadette, Jessica and Mary. Amy was not accustomed to barraging through heavy crowds, half drunk with a drink in one hand, so Penny grasped her hand and pulled her through.

Amy was amazed by the excitement, the energy in the place. She didn't like crowds, and the proximity to the people around her was a little intimidating, however she stuck with Penny and kept going. Breathing heavily, she took a large swig of her drink.

"It's great, isn't it?" Penny called back, holding her drink up in the air to avoid spilling it on someone. The club was dark, bright colours bouncing off the walls; bodies everywhere. Amy's vision was slightly blurred, a combination of alcohol and smoke machine induced haze.

She spotted ahead that Mary had found a man to dance with; grinding up against one another. Penny stopped and pulled her friend beside her. "Dance with me!" She said.

The solid beat of the music was deafening, yet it crept into her soul and made her feel free. Under regular circumstances, she would have refused to dance with her bestie, knowing she was an awful dancer, but something made her feel comfortable.

Penny laughed at her and grabbed her hand, twirling her under her arm. "Just relax! You look scared!"

Bernadette danced her way over, donned with a fake wedding veil and L-plates. "Looking hot Ames! Look – Mary found herself a friend!"

Amy emulated the moves of Penny, who looked gorgeous under the dim lighting. She desperately wanted to come across looking confident and sexy, like her bestie, but worried she looked more like a jelly fish, especially when her feet ached in the high-heeled shoes Penny had made her wear.

She took another gulp of her drink and moved in closer to dance with her friends. _Who cares? _She thought.

Suddenly there were multiple flashes of bright white light, in quick succession. Penny was shooting pictures of them on her phone. "Pose for me, ladies! These are so going up on Facebook!"

They continued on, dancing and laughing and snapping memorable pictures of one another. Through the crown came Jessica with another round of drinks.

Penny stopped suddenly, checking her phone, "Oh, my God – Ames, I just got a message from Zach – he's here!"

Amy looked at her, "Zach, as in your ex-boyfriend?"

Penny nodded and gave her a grin. "He's asking about you, says 'who's your cute brunette friend?'"

Realisation dawned upon Amy. "He's probably talking about Mary!"

Penny shook her head, "I don't think so sweetie, look!" She pointed to the mezzanine above them, where a handsome looking Zach was quite blatantly staring straight at her. Penny waved him down.

Amy started to panic; her last meeting with Zach had been far from smooth – Sheldon had sent her off with the intention of the two engaging in coitus. She had been embarrassed by her behaviour, hoping to never see him again.

She grabbed Penny's arm and pulled her to the side, "Penny, I don't know about this, you know what happened when I last saw Zach –"

Penny swatted her hand away. "He's a really sweet guy, Ames. Dumb as a doornail but very cute!" She saw the concern on her face. "Take this as an opportunity to find out what you really want with Sheldon. Now _come on!_"

Zach greeted them back out on the dance floor, Amy had to admit; he was a stunning looking specimen. "Hey Penny," He kissed her on the cheek, "long time no see! And it's Amy right?" He gave her a lopsided smile, "Bernadette tells me I have met you before – you don't look that familiar?"

Amy struggle to form a sentence, she was nervous. "Um, yes we have –" Penny, who was quite significantly drunk and dancing with Jessica, bumped Amy straight into Zach, who laughed and stabilized her.

"You're hot, you know that?" He said, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Let's get a drink!"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd, Penny watching them go curiously. They reemerged moments later with a drink each; Amy taking a long swig of hers.

Suddenly they were dancing together, Amy laughing as he made eyes at her. She noticed that he got closer and closer to her, until his lips were at her ear. "I've never met a girl like you before," He said, as quietly as he could over the loud music, "Ever."

All the while Penny kept flashing picture upon picture to savour memories of the night…

* * *

><p>Wandering aimlessly around a busy casino were three grown men, looking completely out of place.<p>

"Why, hello, my dear," began Raj, to a woman sitting her own machine. "You are very beautiful…"

Leonard rolled his eyes and prepared to pull him away; surprisingly the girl leaned in toward him. "Honey, you can call me whatever you want if you help me win back the money I've lost."

That was enough for Raj; he sat down beside her and tried his luck. Howard and Leonard wandered over to a nearby machine, pushing through a coin and pressing the buttons. "This is _such _a waste of money…" Howard mumbled, bored.

From behind them, Sheldon sighed and pulled out his phone. "Gentlemen, I'm going to have to be frank and say that this evening has been an absolute failure. Not that I didn't already try to tell you that -" He veered off, looking carefully at his phone.

"Yeah, well, I'd like to see you try and organize something better." Leonard said as he peered around at him. "Sheldon?"

Sheldon was flicking his finger across the screen of his phone, looking at something with an odd expression. Leonard craned his neck to get a better angle. "Why are you looking at Penny's Facebook page – oh…"

"Looks like the girls are having a good time." He said quietly. There was shot upon shot of the girls with drinks, dancing and laughing and posing together. It was evident that they were completely plastered, having the time of their life.

Sheldon stopped at one shot; an image of Amy and Penny together. It was a full length shot, Penny had her arms around her friend and was kissing her cheek, Amy with her hand over her mouth in a mock 'oh my!' position. Amy had her hair down, in big ringlets, and wore a fitted navy blue dress with three quarter length sleeves complete with chunky grey and blue heels. It was so strange to see her dressed so differently - it made his heart flutter.

"Woah, is that _Amy?_" Came Raj's voice from over Sheldon's shoulder. "Looking hot girlfriend!"

Sheldon gave him a death glare and quickly skipped to the next photo, hoping for something without Amy in it. Instead he got something worse.

It was Zach.

With Amy. _His_ Amy. They were dancing together, and he was whispering something in her ear, something she obviously found humorous, as her head was thrown back with laughter.

Leonard noticed the aggravated look on Sheldon's face and peered over at his phone once again. "Sheldon just leave it be, I'm sure the girls are having a great time – hey, is that Zach?"

Leonard snatched the phone out of his hands, eager to make sure there were no images of Zach and Penny looking too friendly. Sheldon stood, still as a statue, and felt his insides boil.

_This _was the man Amy had felt sexually aroused by. _This _was the man who made women weak at the knees. With his Amy. Whispering in her ear. Touching her…

He snapped. "What the _hell _would Amy see in _that oaf? _He is quite possibly the stupidest man on the face of this earth! He is a small minded, sexually driven, disgrace to all human kind!"

Leonard watched as his angry friend paced up and back between the aisles of machines, angrier than ever. "Come on, Sheldon, I'm sure it's fine – they're just out having a good time –"

"Obviously!" He yelled. "They're having a grand old time, gyrating and grinding up against one another. Again, what does she see in _that?_"

Howard had had enough. "You know what, Sheldon, I think what she sees in him is a man who's not afraid to have sex with her, that's what." He said harshly, storming off. "Come on, Raj, let's go to the strippers."

Raj shrugged and ran after his friend, eager to accompany him. Leonard looked around at Sheldon, who seemed to have gone into some kind of catatonic state. "Just… ignore him, he doesn't mean that…"

Sheldon's glassy eyes shifted across to his shorter friend and he walked past him to follow Howard and Raj. "He does."

* * *

><p>Back at the nightclub, the girls were having a blast. After dancing themselves near to exhaustion, Mary had run off to find them a booth to take a seat. Now, the five of them sat around the table, giggling and sipping their drinks.<p>

Penny had stolen Bernadette's novelty magic wand and was waving it above her head. "And now, you will be Howard's virgin, his innocent bride-to-be!"

Bernadette giggled, brushing the glitter from her hair. "I don't think so, he already used up that part of the deal! Well, perhaps not the virgin part!" She said mischievously, "Speaking of sex; you and Zach seemed to be hitting it off quite well Amy? What about Sheldon?"

Amy had slid into the booth beside, head spinning. "Sheldon and I haven't really been seeing eye-to-eye lately," She said, "Zach is just so…"

"Hot?" Jessica said, wriggling her eyebrows at her friend.

"Oh, I would consider coitus with him – Sheldon and I are still together you know! Plus, that's probably against one of the many rules in our sexless Relationship Agreement." She slurred slightly, jumping as Penny poked her in the ribs jokingly.

"Speak of the devil!" Her bestie squealed, pointing in Zach's direction.

Zach came over to the booth and smiled. "Hello ladies. Do you mind if I steal your lovely friend here?"

They all chorused a giggly 'no' and Amy stood to walk with him.

"Amy," he said sweetly, her name sounding sexy on his lips, "come back to my hotel with me."

Amy's breath caught in her chest and she almost choked on her own words. "Zach, I have a boyfriend."

He looked slightly crestfallen, but continued, standing a little taller over her small frame. "Alright then, perhaps not tonight. That doesn't discourage me though… I'll win you over."

He gave her a peck on the cheek and paused at her ear to whisper, "See you soon, okay?"

And he dissolved back into the crowd.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Here we have the seventh chapter! Thank you all so much for all of your kind reviews, don't stop because I love them; they keep me writing! Not much to say about this one, it is a little shorter, however there are some longer ones coming up. Enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Seven**

Amy craned her neck off her pillow and was met with bright light and a pounding headache. "Ugh…"

She squinted and glanced around the hotel room, disoriented. Beside her was her stunning blonde bestie, golden tendrils of hair roped around her face as she snored. The room was, to put it frankly, a pigsty. Clothes, shoes and bedding had been tossed around the room carelessly. She sat up and pushed her messy curled hair out of her face, reaching for her glasses on the floor.

"Ugh…" She groaned again, swinging her legs over the edge. Quietly, she teetered across the mess that was their floor and made her way to the bathroom to shower. She took a look in the mirror and grumbled, "Good look, Fowler…"

Stepping under the cool spray of the shower was a blessing, Amy thought, as she washed her hair. Slowly, but very surely, memories of the night before were returning to her, cramming into her already throbbing head. She remembered dancing, drinking, her friends… and she remembered Zach. He had stunk of alcohol, ground up against her as they danced the night away… and been ever-so-sweet.

That _never _happened to her.

Amy stepped out of the shower and reached for her towel, wrapping it around her torso. What could possibly be his motives for taking an interest in her?

Perhaps he thought she was 'easy'.

She smiled and shook her head. Not likely. If he truly was interested in her, he would have to work for it. A little.

"Morning," groaned Penny as she stumbled in behind her, still donning her strapless pink party dress. "What time is it?"

Amy shrugged and shifted her towel, ensuring she wasn't on show. "Not a clue. I haven't been up long." She examined her friend, and frowned. "How is it that you can look _that _good after a big night out?"

Penny gave her a slight smile and reached for her toiletry bag. "Thanks Ames. Done it a few times over the years…" She looked in the mirror and groaned. "Although this ain't good…"

Amy laughed and headed out to find some clothes. Stirring on the adjacent bed was Bernadette, who also looked a little worse for wear.

The strawberry blonde looked over at Amy, who was now fully dressed. "Hey, Ames," she looked around, "we made a mess!"

"No kidding," said Amy, digging around in the bed sheets for her phone, "I have a message from Leonard – it says 'Given that neither Bernadette nor Penny were answering their phones, thought I'd best text you – wanna meet for breakfast somewhere?'"

Penny had walked out of the bathroom, hair wrapped up in a towel. "Tell him he'll have to give us a bit to get cleaned up, then we'll meet nearby."

Bernadette returned back from checking on her two other friends in the nearby room. "Mary's been asked to do an emergency shift at the lab, so she and Jessica are going to head back early - I think they'll catch the train."

"Sounds good," said Amy, now attempting to neatly fold her clothes back into her suitcase, "I was wondering, by the way, if neither of you could please mention Zach to Sheld-"

"Oh!" shrieked Bernadette, "That's _right!_ You and Zach were together last night, dancing and chatting – Amy nothing happened between the two of you, did it?"

Amy grimaced at the shrill sound of Bernadette's exclamation. "No, nothing happened… though he asked me if I would come back to his hotel room, if my memory serves me correctly…"

"_What?_" Penny squealed, throwing the remainder of her clothes back onto the floor. "What did you say?"

"I told him I had a boyfriend, and he proceeded to inform me that it didn't matter to him and 'he'd win me over'. Quite fascinating, actually." Amy replied, dragging her luggage to the door.

"Fascinating? Sweetie, the man wants in your pants." Penny said, "You really do need to decide what you're doing with Sheldon."

Amy sighed and rubbed her fingers against her temples; she did not want to have this conversation right now. "I know. We spoke the other day and he seemed to be slightly apologetic, he even admitted he was jealous. I told him to take some time to think about it, and that I needed to do the same."

"So… what do you think now?" Bernadette asked with a mouthful of tooth paste.

Amy shrugged. "I am hoping that once we're back home things will return to normal, and that perhaps he will approach me about having a more 'normal' relationship. Though I doubt it will happen…"

Penny pursed her lips and looked at her inexperienced friend with sympathy. "Honey, we all love Sheldon to bits but like I said to you, it's got to be right. You need to talk to him."

Amy nodded and continued to tidy up. Before long, the trio fare welled Mary and Jessica and headed over to a local coffee shop to meet the boys.

* * *

><p>"Sheldon," Leonard said, across the table from his tall friend, "You <em>need <em>to get over what happened last night… it was all just a bit of fun…"

"A bit? Are you joking that was the _best _fun I've ever had!" Raj exclaimed beside him. Leonard shot him a death stare and he quietened.

"Have you never seen a naked woman before, Sheldon? Howard taunted, receiving another death stare from Leonard, who was trying to aid the situation.

Sheldon sat, eyes glued to the sticky menu in front of him, listening to his friends with disgust. "You are all acting like immature adolescents with no respect for those around you. I'm glad I got out of there when I did."

Leonard sighed and sat back in his chair. It was a hopeless case. He looked up and noticed the three girls wandering through the coffee shop door, and waved them over enthusiastically.

"Morning boys," Penny said, and threw herself into a chair next to Leonard. She gave him a kiss and picked up a menu. "What are we having? Something nice and greasy I hope?"

There was a chorus of 'good mornings' as they took their spots. Amy slipped into a spot beside Sheldon and gave him a lop-sided smile. He did not return it.

"So, Howie," Bernadette said, starting conversation, "How was your night?"

Howard grinned broadly and turned his chair in her direction. "It was _fantastic_. Well, at first it was terrible due to _someone's _planning, but then we won a whole lot of cash at the pokies and went to the strippers!"

Bernadette gave him a disapproving look and crossed her arms. "Howie – you know I don't like you doing that sort of thing!"

Howard recoiled slightly but continued to smile. "Honestly, the actual strippers weren't as entertaining as I thought – watching Sheldon was the best part."

Sheldon glared at him and waved to the waiter. "Service here is terrible…"

Raj had began to silently giggle and whispered in Howard's ear. Howard laughed. "Yeah, the service last night definitely wasn't terrible!"

Leonard came to Sheldon's rescue, who was progressively becoming redder by the second. "Give him a break you guys."

Penny couldn't resist. "Oh _please _tell me what happened!"

Amy, too, was curious. She was attempting to make eye contact with Sheldon, who had buried his nose into the menu.

"What happened," Sheldon began, "was that these three perverts went off on their own little way to enjoy themselves and I did not get involved."

"I beg to differ." Howard teased, and turned back to Penny. "We walked in there, took our seats and out came one of the strippers, wearing near to nothing. Sheldon didn't know where to look, 'til she came over and tried to give him a lap dance and he ran off to sit outside in the gutter."

Both Amy and Bernadette stared at him, shocked, whilst Penny, Leonard and Raj began to laugh. Sheldon shook his head; it was evident he didn't particularly care what they thought, but something was bothering him.

"Firstly, I am not one for paying a female to take off her clothes in front of me under any circumstances; I find it disrespectful and, quite frankly, sickening, and secondly, I have loyalty to my partner, unlike some of you." Sheldon stared directly at Amy, who looked back at him, confused.

"Why are you indicating that question toward me?" She asked, quite timidly, sinking back into her chair.

"Well, it seems that you were having a marvelous time last night, drinking and dancing and gyrating up against other men in your minimal attire –"

Amy shook her head and looked at him, confused. "Why are you upset about that, Penny, Bernadette and I often go out for drinks and –"

"I saw the photos of you and Zach!" He yelled angrily, rising out of his seat. Realisation dawned on Amy; Penny must have posted all of the photos to Facebook last night. She stood up to look at him.

"Sheldon, what does it matter? I'm not interested in Zach, he was just being friendly –"

"Friendly?" Sheldon began, "The man had his hands all over you, and he was whispering in your ear, I'm sure all sorts of awful things –"

Amy straightened a bit, fighting with her emotions. "Sheldon, this is precisely what I was talking about the other day at the lab, you need to learn how to handle these emotions and trust me –"

"I thought I could trust you, but I can't trust anyone!" He roared, the anger bubbling over.

Amy swallowed the lump in her throat and breathed deeply. "Fine. If this is the way things are going to be then I take back what I said, I am breaking up with you. I can't be with someone who not only won't touch me, but won't trust me either."

With that, she ran out of the coffee shop, emotions betraying her.

"Amy, wait!" Bernadette called and ran after her friend, chasing her down the sidewalk.

Sheldon stood, shocked, and closed his eyes. He couldn't believe what he'd just done; it was too much to handle. _Fine, _he thought angrily, _I'm better off without you._

Penny rose out of her spot and looked him directly in the eye. "You've made a huge mistake." She said and walked out.

* * *

><p>The trip home was a quiet one for all.<p>

A distraught Amy requested she be dropped off home, telling her friends she needed some time alone. She climbed the stairs to her apartment and unlocked the door, throwing her bag and keys onto the couch.

Exhausted by the events of the past twenty four hours, she climbed into bed and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

><p>Two nights later, the gang sat around Leonard and Sheldon's coffee table eating Chinese, minus two members.<p>

"Has anyone heard from Amy?" Leonard asked, setting his plastic food container onto the table. "Is she okay?"

Penny sighed. "We've spoken via text a bit, she says she's alright; been working over at the lab lots. I'm really worried about her…"

"So am I," Bernadette said quietly, "she seems so distant, it's not like her. How's Sheldon doing?"

Since arriving home from Vegas two days earlier, Leonard had barely seen or heard from Sheldon. It appeared that he had barricaded himself in his bedroom, coming out only to use the bathroom.

"No change." He reported, "Although, I kinda spoke to him through the wall last night."

"Kinda?" Howard said, munching on a prawn cracker.

"Yeah, I asked him how he was doing, and he said he was fine, then asked if I would mind getting a cat or two." Leonard said, grimacing at the thought.

"Oh no," said Penny, "not this again."

Raj sighed loudly, attempting to get everyone's attention. He shook his head and made a sad face.

"Aw, sweetie I know – we're working on it." Penny soothed, rubbing his head.

Bernadette went to the fridge to get a drink. "I just don't know what to do – they are perfect for one another, if only they could make it work…"

"Honestly," Penny said, "I think things will work out. Perhaps this is the kick in the butt Sheldon needed…"

"I don't need a kick in the butt," came a familiar Texan accent from the hallway, "I do need some Chinese though, if there is any left. Penny, get out of my spot."

She smiled slightly at the sight of her intelligent friend and shuffled across. "Come on over."

Leonard bit his lip and leant forward in the arm chair. "How're you feeling?"

Sheldon looked at him blankly. "Fine, thank you. Although I did want to ask you – I think one or two cats should be sufficient, however I was thinking of purchasing a couple of birds for our new aviary."

Leonard glanced over at Penny, who gave him a wide-eyed expression. "What aviary…?"

"The one I've been building in my room!" Sheldon said brightly. "Which reminds me – I need to grab something…"

He wandered into the kitchen, fumbling through the draws. Leonard leant across to Penny, "Shall I call his mother or will you?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Another chapter down! Flying through them! Hope you're all enjoying it – like I have said earlier it is an ongoing piece and has a long way to go yet! Just so everyone's aware as well – I'm actually from Australia, hence some of my phrasing and spelling, and in this particular chapter Sheldon's mother is coming to visit; now I will do my best to spell 'Mum' as 'Mom' – please don't get upset at me if I accidentally misspell it! Also – I have just done some research and realised that I have been spelling Zach's name incorrectly – it should be 'Zack'. For the sake of continuity, I will continue spelling it incorrectly; my apologies to anyone it bothers. Remember to review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Eight**

It was just another regular day in the Caltech cafeteria.

"So, Howard, how go the wedding day plans?" asked Leonard as he selected a spot at their usual table and put down his tray.

"Well - I believe," Howard said, sitting opposite him, "I'm not really allowed to be involved in any way, shape or form."

"That's such a shame," said Raj, tucking a serviette down the front of his shirt, "the bridesmaid dresses are lovely!"

Leonard spluttered on his drink. "_You_ got to see them?"

Raj smiled proudly, shoveling pasta into his mouth. "Of course! Bernadette respects my good eye and keen sense of fashion."

Howard raised an eyebrow at him. "Anyway! Where's Sheldon?"

"Right here!" Came a loud voice from beside him. Howard turned his head to greet him and instead was met with a fluster of feathers. He yelped in surprise.

Sheldon petted the erratic bird perched on his forearm. "Hush, now Marie – you have scared our friend!"

"Sheldon, you can't bring that bird in here!" Leonard said through clenched teeth.

Sheldon huffed at him. "Sure I can! I've brought many living things with me to work."

"Alright; don't blame anyone but yourself if you get kicked out." Leonard said, sipping his soft drink. "Are you prepared for your Mom to arrive this afternoon?"

Sheldon rearranged the bird to sit on his shoulder. "Oh, yes – she's not staying terribly long so there wasn't a whole lot to arrange!"

Leonard looked at Howard for assistance with his next topic of conversation, who immediately found something in his pasta fascinating. "Sheldon… Penny wanted me to talk to you about something."

Sheldon eyed him carefully. "Proceed."

"She's been speaking to Amy," Leonard began, and saw Sheldon visibly flinch at her name, "she's really lonely – she misses everyone's company. Penny wanted me to ask you if it would be alright for Amy to start participating in our group activities again."

Sheldon stared at him and said nothing. Leonard began again, "It's alright if –"

"I'm processing it," Sheldon grumbled, fiddling with his food tray, "and like many other things, I reject it."

Leonard huffed at him and threw his hands in the air. "Sheldon – you're being ridiculous –"

Sheldon stood up to leave, tray and bird in hand. "No, _you _are."

The three boys watched as their friend walked away, again. Raj spoke first. "Worth a try, I suppose…"

Howard made a face. "I don't know about this Leonard… is trying to get them back together really such a good idea? We might wind up sending Sheldon into shut-down mode…"

Leonard shrugged. "He needs her, and I think she needs him. Plus he's driving me insane."

The three boys got up and placed their rubbish in the bin, hoping that Mary Cooper would be able to talk some sense into him…

* * *

><p>"Oh, Bernadette! You look so amazing!" Penny squealed, as her petite friend stepped out of the fitting rooms.<p>

Amy gave her a huge smile. "You look great, Bernie."

The three young women were at a nearby wedding dress store, having the final fitting for their dresses. Bernadette stepped up onto a small stool and looked at herself in the huge three way mirror, grinning ear to ear.

"I love it!" She burst, twirling her hips from side to side, watching the satiny material shimmer.

The tailor stepped out from behind her counter, measuring tape around her neck and a dressmaker's pin in her fingers. "All okay ladies?"

"Oh yes!" Bernadette squealed excitedly. She turned to her friends, who were sitting on a white lacey ottoman. "I just can't believe it's this weekend, I think I'm going to have a slight break down!"

"Relax," said Penny, leaning back on her palms, "everything will be perfect."

Bernadette hopped down and beckoned for her friends to help her undo the lacing at the back of her dress. "Amy, I'm a little worried about something…"

Amy frowned at her, picking away at the corset-styled back. "Yes…"

"I'm concerned about you and Sheldon – the two of you are supposed to be partners for the evening and I just would hate for it to cause more tension between you." Bernadette said quietly, looking intently at her brunette friend.

Amy took a deep breath and exhaled. "Don't you worry about one thing, girlfriend. I will make sure Sheldon behaves like an adult; we've got to learn to get along."

Bernadette nodded and slipped back into the dressing room to change back into her regular attire. Penny looked up from her phone. "Ames?"

A distracted Amy – who was admiring the tiaras in the glass cabinet – replied: "Hmm?"

"I just got a text message from Zach; he wants your number."

Amy snapped out of her trance and made a face at Penny. "Seriously? Is he drunk?"

Penny stifled a laugh. "I don't think so, sweetie. Should I give him your number or not?"

Amy considered her situation for a moment. She had not expected Zach to contact her again; assumed he had been interested in her because of the alcohol and excitement. Now that she was single, would it hurt to see what he had to say?

"Sure, why not."

* * *

><p>"Shelly!" Mary Cooper exclaimed, grasping her son's face in her hands and planting a kiss on his cheek. "My Shelly!"<p>

Sheldon shied away from his mother's tight grip. "Hi, Mom."

Mary stood in the doorway, hands full of luggage. "Well, dear, be a gentleman and help your mother with these bags!"

Sheldon took a bag for her and lead her inside. "It's so good to see you Mom, still don't really know why you've come to see me with such short notice though…"

Mary set her handbag down on the kitchen counter and placed a hand on her hip. "Can't a mother come see her son when she feels like it?"

"Oh, no, of course you can," Sheldon back peddled, "It was just unexpected!"

Leonard walked out from his room. "Hey Mrs. Cooper! How was your trip?"

Mary enveloped him in a hug and smiled. "Leonard! So lovely to see you! It went well, although my train was a little late."

Sheldon made a shocked face. "Was it really? Give me the details and I'll write to them; our rail service must be efficient at all times!"

Mary rolled her eyes and looked to Leonard. "Where is that dear little blonde thing you've been seeing, hon? I'd just love to catch up with her."

"Penny?" He asked, then realized it was a signal for him to leave so they could have some privacy. "Oh, yeah – I'll go get her and we can all have coffee!"

Leonard scrambled out the door hurriedly. Sheldon looked befuddled for a moment and then turned to his mother. "Would you like to see my new bird? She's just wonderful."

Mary followed her son down the hallway and into his bedroom. In the corner of his room stood a small aviary, inside it a brightly coloured parrot.

"I thought you had a fear of birds, Shelly?" Mary asked, examining the bird.

Sheldon sat down on his bed. "Well, I did, until I got over it with the help of Amy –"

Sheldon went silent, cringing at the sound of her name on his lips. Mary sat down beside him. "Ah, yes, Amy." She said, folding her hands together. "Sheldon, the reason I came here to see you was because your little friends called and said you weren't doing so well. I came to talk to you."

Sheldon stood abruptly and began feeding the birdseeds. "I knew there was a reason you were here. Mom, I don't want to talk about that…"

"Well, you are," Mary said, "there will be no secrets under the Lord's roof."

Sheldon rolled his eyes and turned to her, "This is my roof, not the Lord's –"

Mary silenced him with a finger and patted the bed beside her. "Son, every roof is the Lord's. Now, come, sit."

He did as he was told, reluctantly. "Leonard tells me Amy broke up with you, and that you upset her quite considerably."

Sheldon snapped his head up to look at his mother. "No – she hurt _me _–"

"Sheldon," Mary cut him off, "listen to me for a moment. Leonard tells me this break up was spurred on by the Green-Eyed Monster himself."

"Satan?"

"No, Shelly," Mary said, "jealousy."

Sheldon moved uncomfortably and huffed. This had not been what he had envisaged they would be doing that very afternoon.

"From what I know of Amy, I like her very much," Mary proceeded, "and I dare think you do too. I'm not about to go getting involved in the intimate details of your affairs – but I did want to give you some advice."

Sheldon looked at her as she turned to him, looking most serious. "Sheldon, we both know your father and I didn't have a very good relationship. We fought, a lot, and in those latter years I hardly spoke to him. To a point, I feel very responsible for the way you turned out," Sheldon made a face at her, "not that there's anything wrong with you; I just worry that the lack of healthy man-to-woman relationship has had an effect on you."

Sheldon said nothing, simply bowed his head and listened as she continued. "I am a born-again woman of the Lord, but now I need to tell you a secret that's between the two of us. I firmly believe that there is nothing wrong with a man and a woman hosting a healthy, physical relationship –"

"Ah, Mom, we don't have to –"

"No, Sheldon, listen to me." Mary snapped. "Whilst I do not condone anyone living in sin, I want you to learn about all of the miracles in life. You are a brilliant man, Shelly, and being intimate with a woman is not something you should miss out on."

Sheldon's face was positively crimson, although his mother's words rang true. She sighed and decided to wrap up the conversation. "Look at it this way, Sheldon," she said, "you want to excel at everything in life, am I right?"

He nodded, confused.

"Experience everything in life there is to be experienced. Do it to make yourself a better person, to build on what you already are. Don't let her get away."

Sheldon stared at the floor, his mother's words booming through his head. Mary rose off the bed and proposed she make a pot of tea. As she walked out, he called her back.

"Mom, how can I do this?"

She smiled and kept walking. "You're a smart boy, you'll figure it out."

* * *

><p>Two nights later, Amy was waiting nervously in her apartment for Zach to pick her up for their first date. After receiving a sweet message from him, stating that he remembered her perfectly and really wanted to get to know her more, she gave in and they scheduled a date.<p>

Amy took a seat on her couch and waited patiently. Her heart was thumping in her chest; what if this was all a cruel joke? What if he stood her up?

A knock sounded at her door and she jumped.

"Told you I'd win you over." Zach said, as she opened the door. "Wow, you look great. Ready to go?"

Amy nodded and grabbed her bag, and they headed down stairs. "Thanks so much for picking me up."

Zach smiled and opened the car door for her. "No worries."

Within minutes, they arrived at a casual restaurant just down the street from Amy's apartment. Zach was a perfect gentlemen; opening doors for her and pulling out her seat.

They ordered drinks and entrées, and sat in silence for a moment. Zach smiled at her. "Amy, I have to tell you something."

"Yes?" She asked, curious.

"When I saw you from a distance the other night with Penny, I was really surprised. I found myself drawn to you, and that doesn't happen to me very much. You are fine, in your own little way, and I really do want to get to know you better." He gave her an earnest smile and reached for his beer.

Amy felt her cheeks heat up and she smirked back. "I don't know if you remember the first couple of times we met, but I do quite clearly. Sheld – a friend of mine called you and asked if you would have sex with me, as a joke," she added, "and you agreed to meet me at a bar…"

Amy could see Zach searching for this memory. Suddenly his face lit up. "Woah, I do remember… you came up and shook my hand; you looked different though… kind of… frumpy."

Amy laughed and nodded. "Yep, guilty."

"Well, you know what difference I can see between then and now? I see a woman who is comfortable with who she is." Zach said, proud of himself for being so wise.

They began to chat openly for the remainder of the evening, Zach telling her all about his father's menu design company, his fun encounters with Penny's friends and his preference of football team. She had to admit, he was a simple guy, but his heart was in the right place.

"Amy," he said after their main meal plates were taken away, "tell me about you."

"Well, I'm a neuroscientist –"

"A neuro-what?"

"A neuroscientist. I study the nervous system; focusing on the brain." She noticed the blank expression on his face and decided to simplify it for him. "I work with monkeys."

Again, his face lit up and they were chatting again.

"So, you _actually _have a smoking monkey in your apartment? And you and your team of scientists are studying it?" Zach asked, intrigued.

Amy nodded. "Cool, huh?"

"So freakin' cool." He sipped his drink and looked across at her. "When we were in Vegas, you said you had a boyfriend; what happened?"

She sighed and bit her lip. "Things just weren't working out, I ended it."

"Things weren't working out 'cause there was a big 'Zach' in the way!" He flirted, giving her a mischievous smile. _More accurate than you think, _thought Amy.

Before long, Zach was walking Amy to her apartment door. When they arrived, she unlocked and opened the door and turned to him, nervous again. "I had a great night, thank you so much."

He gave her a lopsided grin, brown hair falling over his eyes slightly before he flicked it back in place with one head movement. "My pleasure."

She stepped inside and began to close the door, when she felt his hand stop it from swinging closed. "Amy – wait –"

And suddenly his lips were upon hers. It was sweet, delicate, and yet needy at the same time. Out of instinct, she pulled him inside and closed the door, not breaking their kiss, which was deepening by the second.

He gently pushed her onto the couch, bearing his weight on her slightly. His warm tongue dragged across her bottom lip, seeking her approval, as his hand slid up the side of her half-bare thigh. She moaned slightly as he rubbed the palm of his hand over her breast, and she tangled her fingers through his hair. Beginning to feel bolder, more aroused, she trailed a finger over his torso, feeling awkward as she did so.

Suddenly she was imagining them in her bed. Tossing and turning in her white sheets as she and Sheldon –

_Sheldon? _She thought, breaking their kiss and pushing him back. Her breath caught in her chest and a hand flickered to her lips, brushing away a kiss that wasn't really there.

"You okay, babe?" Zach said breathlessly, looking down at her.

She pushed him off her and straightened herself on the cushions. "I'm fine, though I think that's enough for one evening."

Zach shrugged and bounced off the couch. "Alrighty, as much as I'm a little disappointed it's a great taste of what's to come."

She was frozen in her spot, and simply gave him a half-hearted smile as he winked and headed out of her apartment. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt slightly ill.

Amy reached for her phone and dialed, as quickly as she could. "Penny, I need your help…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alright – big chapter ahead! Now, the first part of this chapter is a little mushy, I just couldn't stand for Bernadette's wedding day to be skipped over for the sake of more Shamy-ness; couldn't do that to her! So, please read on, as there are more exciting things to come! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews; don't forget to keep reviewing! Enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Nine**

The wedding day had finally arrived and it was _madness._

Penny and Amy had raced around all morning at Mrs. Wolowitz's home, attempting to have everything prepared for Bernadette, who was bouncing off the walls with nervous energy. Bernadette's mother, Julie, had arrived earlier and was assisting Bernadette with the straps on her shoes.

Amy had a notepad in hand, floating around to ensure everything was perfect. "Okay – make-up, check, hair, check, shoes, check, bouquet, check, garter – can I check that one?"

Penny, who was dabbing some make-up that had gone astray from the corner of Bernadette's eye, gave her an incredulous look. "Amy – we're fine! Stop fussing!"

Amy pouted, folding her arms across her chest. "But I'm the Maid of Honour and that means I have to make sure everything is perfect."

Bernadette took a deep breath and lowered herself onto the couch. "I think I need a moment…"

Short, plump Julie took her daughter's hand and looked her over. "You alright, darling?"

Penny and Amy eyed her cautiously. "You okay?"

Bernadette nodded, smiling widely. "I feel a little faint… just a bit overexcited I suppose…"

The two bridesmaids were at her side immediately. Amy rushed off to get water.

"You just rest – we're all set to go now all you need to do is wait for the limo." Penny said, fanning her friend with a magazine.

Amy handed her the water. "Drink and rest your pretty head. We'll be right here."

"Is my little daughter-in-law okay?" came a rough, loud voice from the bathroom. Julie grimaced, but continued to smile at her daughter.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Wolowitz!" Bernadette called, closing her eyes.

A knock sounded at the front door and Amy headed over to answer it. "Limo and your father have arrived, Bernadette! Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Back at Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, the four men were working hard toward preparing for the exciting day by playing a round of Halo.<p>

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA - Raj! Don't shoot there; that's me!" Howard yelled, sitting in the arm chair looking dapper in his black suit, flailing his free hand in the air. "Are we playing as a team or not?"

"Oh, sorry!"

Leonard chuckled to himself; Howard was nervous. They had gotten dressed and ready within minutes of arriving, and it had provided Howard with too much time to worry about what might go wrong.

Sheldon scowled. "Excuse me – that _was _my base you just blew up –"

"Yep." Howard muttered, eyes fixed to the screen.

The phone rang suddenly, causing all four boys to jump. Leonard reached across and answered. "Hello? Alright, sure, we'll be down in a sec." He placed the phone back in the holder. "Car's here, we'd best head down."

Howard tipped his head back dramatically and paused the game. "Do I have to? I _really _wanted to finish that game…"

Leonard glared at him and pulled him out of his seat. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>As Bernadette stepped out of her limo – assisted by her father, Gary – she admired her selection of venue. She and Howard had decided to have an outdoor wedding with an indoor reception, all held at the same place. It was a quaint, old building, with a large expanse of green, lush gardens.<p>

Before she could admire her surroundings any further, she was whisked away into the building by her mother and bridesmaids. They stood inside a huge, vine entangled archway, which lead out onto a large, white patio and just beyond that were her seated guests and the alter. She would have to tackle three small steps onto the grass and then she would be walking down the aisle…

"Alright – so, Bernadette, you will wait right here with your father… your mother will go, then Penny, then myself, and then the two of you will come – got it?" Amy rushed, moving a small fly-away strand of hair back into Bernadette's elegant bun.

Bernadette nodded, nervous. Her mother kissed her on the cheek and Penny gave her a thumbs-up as they began to walk out onto the patio.

She peered out from behind the brickwork and saw Howard and the groomsmen, waiting patiently for their arrival. Her heart skipped a beat…

* * *

><p>Out in the garden, Sheldon looked around anxiously. He, Raj and Leonard were standing to the left of Howard, who was as white as a ghost. Shifting uncomfortably in his crisp black suit, he glanced at his watch. The girls were fifteen minutes late… very unacceptable…<p>

Leonard elbowed him in the ribs softly. "Sheldon, would you stop fidgeting?"

"Well, I'm sorry," Sheldon whispered back, "no one should be this late for anything, let alone a wedding…"

"Just stop, you're making Howard nervous." Leonard grumbled, huffing at his tall friend.

Suddenly, music began. The guests rose from their white, bow-adorned seats and turned to face the aisle. Sheldon heard Leonard's breath catch as he watched Penny walk down the aisle. She looked like a movie star; blonde hair piled on top of her head with a bright smile on her face as she took her spot across from them.

"Wow…" he heard Leonard whisper, and rolled his eyes. What a mushy load of –

And then Amy began to walk.

Sheldon could not take his eyes off her. With each step she took, his pulse quickened and his breathing hitched; she looked…. beautiful. The lavender coloured bridesmaid dress sat just off her shoulders and dipped into a sweetheart neckline, drawing in around her waist and falling graciously from her hips. Like Penny's, her hair was piled into a curled hair-do on top of her head, and she had opted for contacts rather than her regular chunky glasses.

He couldn't move.

Leonard took one look at his frozen friend and smirked. He wasn't the only one in awe of a stunning young lady on this fine afternoon…

Finally, Bernadette came walking down the aisle in her fitted white gown. Howard could hardly contain himself; he smiled widely at his petite blonde bride and began to get teary-eyed. She was the image of an angel, to him.

She came to stand across from him and he took her hands in his. The celebrant began, speaking beautiful words of the future; binding them together as Mr. and Mrs. Howard Wolowitz…

* * *

><p>Soon after the ceremony, the bridal party and guests made there way back inside for the reception. An incredibly elated Howard and Bernadette took their spots beside one another at the bridal party table and looked on as their guests found their seats.<p>

Sheldon paused awkwardly at the head of the table. Amy had walked ahead, taking her spot beside Bernadette, and he had noticed that his name card was placed right next to hers. He took a deep breath and headed over.

"Hello, Amy." He said shortly, pulling out his chair.

Amy turned her head away from Howard and Bernadette's conversation and gave him a half-smile. "Hi, Sheldon."

_There it is again! _Sheldon thought. _Those darn butterflies in my stomach…_

Amy looked at him, interested to see if he would spark conversation. She had to admit, he looked handsome – his brown hair combed carefully and his blue eyes sparkling, as always. Something was up, though – he looked like he wasn't feeling well.

She smiled at him again, awkwardly, and he looked down to straighten his cutlery.

"What's up, buttercup?" Penny said, sliding in to her assigned seat next to Sheldon. Amy smiled at her, knowing she was assisting with their awkward moment.

Sheldon looked at her disapprovingly. "Penny, are you drinking already? Don't you have to make a speech?"

Penny looked from the champagne flute in her hand back to him. "Yeah, but some of us are able to hold their alcohol and produce a perfectly pleasant speech." She teased, poking her tongue out at him.

"Might I just say that was _your _fault, not mine. It took me weeks to hack into Leonard's YouTube account to remove that video…" Sheldon whined.

"There, there," she cooed, "drink this up; I got it for you while I was at the bar."

She handed him a tall glass of what appeared to be Diet Coke. "Thank you, Penny." Sheldon said, and sipped at the drink.

Penny smirked across at Amy and mouthed 'bourbon', stifling a laugh as she did so.

Before long, entrées and mains were served, and the group were talking and laughing like not a thing had changed. Sheldon had guzzled his third 'Diet Coke' and was positively beaming.

"Penny, be a lamb and fetch me another drink." He said as he passed her his glass.

Penny grinned and got up to ask a waiter for another drink. Leonard gave Sheldon a look. "Go easy over there, buddy!"

"Go easy? I am simply enjoying myself at my dear friend's wedding – if you don't mind Leonard…" Sheldon said with a smile, raising his glass toward Howard.

Howard raised an eyebrow at him. "_Dear _friend?"

Sheldon then looked at Amy, who was just finishing her main meal.

"How's Zach?" He asked unexpectedly, swishing the liquid in his glass.

Amy looked back at him, almost choking on her last mouthful of chicken. She wasn't sure how to respond. "He's fine. Why?"

"I know what's going on, Amy Farrah Fowler," he began, glaring at her, "You and Zach are seeing each other now and engaging in coitus, aren't you?"

"Zach and I are not –" She stopped, remembering that she had promised Bernadette they would behave. "Sheldon, this is not an appropriate conversation to be having here."

Abruptly, he pushed his chair out and stood up. "Well, then, let's go for a walk."

Amy looked around at Penny, wide-eyed, who shrugged. "Go, speeches aren't for a bit."

She and Sheldon walked out the glass doors and onto the patio. Amy looked out across the gardens, lit up only by small garden lights. Without waiting for her, Sheldon started down the dimly lit pathway into the gardens.

Amy caught up with him and he felt her presence. "Are you going to answer my query or not?"

She sighed. "Sheldon, it is none of your business whatsoever –"

"I object," he said, pointing a finger at her, "it _is _my business."

"We aren't together any more, Sheldon, not bound by your 'Relationship Agreement' –"

"Technically, we are. You signed it, and as yet we have not reviewed Section 10: Termination of Relationship. The agreement states that the terminating party must provide the receiving party with a termination notice, given no less than 10 days in advance -"

Amy rounded on him and looked at him angrily. "In advance of what, Sheldon? You acting like a child? You not trusting me?"

Sheldon felt himself being backed into a corner. "Amy, I do trust you, it's them I don't trust. What I said that day, I didn't mean… I didn't think…" He trailed off, lost for words.

Amy bit her lip and looked at the ground. This was so much harder than she had ever imagined.

They continue to walk, in silence for a while. Sheldon couldn't stop himself from fixating on Amy and Zach; the thought of them together made his stomach churn.

"Amy, did you or did you not have intercourse with Zach?" He slurred, slightly.

She groaned in frustration and brought a hand to her forehead. Her lack of response gave Sheldon the answer he was afraid of.

"Why – how could you –"

"No, Sheldon, we didn't. We almost did but then…" She drifted off, unprepared for the conversation ahead.

"But then…" He coaxed, intrigued by her response.

Amy exhaled deeply and looked him in the eye. "But then there was you, Sheldon."

He jerked his head back in surprise, looking at her quizzically. "I don't understand –"

Amy stepped closer to him, all of her anger melting away. "I couldn't go through with it because I don't want to be with Zach… I want to be with you." She whispered, fragile and frightened.

"Oh," Sheldon said, his tipsy mind taking a moment to register, "what about all of the issues we were experiencing?"

Amy shook her head. "I don't know, Sheldon – all I know is that I miss you, and it doesn't feel right when we're apart."

The bright-eyed scientist perked up suddenly, giving her a grin and extending his elbow out for her to link hers through. "I know what will help – a dance. When the music begins, we will dance the night away."

Amy smiled at him and eyed his awaiting arm. She wanted to be angry at him, wanted to scream and yell and tell him he caused all of this… but when she looked into his blue eyes, she just couldn't hold the grudge. Carefully, cautiously, she threaded her arm through his and he lead her back inside.

* * *

><p>The night continued on smoothly – speeches were made, dessert was served and the band began to play. True to his word, a considerably drunk Sheldon – who had stripped off his blazer and tie – beckoned Amy onto the dance floor.<p>

Everyone was up to dance, and as Amy stepped onto the hardwood floors she was whisked into a dip. Sheldon pulled her back up to face him and they began to dance to the catchy swing music. She couldn't help but laugh as he showed her his best moves, moving his hips as he spun her under his arm.

"Like a true Texan gentleman!" She joked, breathless.

Sheldon raised his eyebrows at her. "Of course!"

His hand found the small of her back and dipped her once again, pulling her back up closer to him than he had before.

"Now I can whisper something into your ear," he began, leaning in closer to her ear, "I want to be with you, Amy."

Amy felt her heart flutter at his words and gave him a curious look. He simply smirked and spun her under his arm once again.

From across the dance floor, Penny wolf whistled. "Lookin' hot, Sheldon!"

Sheldon gave her a smile and said to Amy, "I think Penny's intoxicated – how embarrassing for her…"

Amy couldn't help but laugh; he had no idea just how much he had drunk. Penny skipped over and stole Amy from Sheldon, twirling her around and placing a hand around her waist.

Amy chuckled at her and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Do I have to draw another mustache on my finger or are you my man tonight?"

Penny wiggled her eyebrows at her. "Nope, looks like you've got your man all sorted out for the night!" She indicated to Sheldon, who was attempting to explain string theory to one of Bernadette's relatives, using a guitar analogy. "What's the deal, sista?"

"I don't really know. It would appear that he's decided to – as you would say – 'pull out his finger'." Amy said, raising her arm for Penny to spin.

Penny giggled, "I see… so are you together or not together or…?"

Amy shrugged. "Once again, I don't know. I told him that I had rejected Zach when he attempted to engage in intercourse with me because I wanted to be with him."

Penny gave her a wide-eyed look. "What did he say?"

Amy smirked and looked across at Sheldon, who was now trying to teach Raj how to dance. "Not much – what do you expect; look at him."

Penny laughed. "He's a hoot when he's drunk, isn't he?"

Howard and Bernadette waltzed over and Bernadette bumped hips with Amy. She looked so happy.

"Thank you both _so much _for entertaining Dr. Intoxicated over there, it has been an absolute blessing!" Howard said, grinning.

As the night began to come to an end, the guests bid farewell to the bride and groom, who were off to spend their honeymoon in Hawaii, and began to depart.

Raj and Sheldon had seemed to have taken an interest in the punch bowl, and were attempting to establish at what weight the rose petals would no longer float along the top of the liquid.

Leonard and Penny were packing up ready to go, Amy assisting with the collection of wedding gifts and flowers.

It was time to head home, and Leonard looked around at Sheldon and Raj. "Come on, you two, time to get home."

Raj happily obliged, floating over to them merrily. Sheldon, however, did not move.

"Sheldon, let's go!" Leonard called, his hands full of heavy bags and gifts.

Suddenly Sheldon piped up. "I feel like Yoohoo, and do you know who has Yoohoo? Amy Farrah Fowler, at her apartment."

Leonard looked around at Amy and gave her a look. She sighed. "You just go, he can come with me."

Sheldon smiled and busied himself again with the punch bowl, writing equations onto a nearby napkin.

Amy shook her head and smiled. "Come on, Sheldon, let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hurrah for chapter ten! This is probably one of my favourites; you will see why soon. This was a little more difficult to write; hence the longer delay, I hope you all enjoy it and appreciate the work that has gone in. Please continue to review - seems to be a whole lot of visitors and hits and not as many reviews… so make sure you do! Or else…  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Ten**

As Amy and Sheldon ascended the stairs to her apartment, Sheldon began to chat more and more. Their trip back had been eventful; Sheldon playing a card-less version of Counterfactuals and deciding he could assist her change gears in her car.

"Wanna hear a joke?" He asked, stumbling up the stairs. "Why are quantum physicists bad at coitus?"

She turned the lock and opened the door to her apartment, a smile forming on her lips. "Why Sheldon?"

"Because when they find the position, they can't find momentum and when they have momentum, they can't find the position! Bazinga!" He smiled and walked into her apartment, flopping himself onto her couch. "Not that it is any reflection on my ability to engage in -" He trailed off, regretting his words instantly. "Amy, have you redecorated? Where's Ricky?"

She laughed at his ridiculous joke and attempted cover up, placing her keys on the counter. "He's gone back to the lab, for now, the study is almost complete." She threw him the television remote. "I'm just going to get changed and I'll be back, make yourself comfortable."

He squinted up at her and nodded. "Alright."

She headed into her bedroom and shut the door, hearing a sudden call from Sheldon: "I'd better see Tweety when you come back!"

Shaking her head, she laughed and began to remove her bridesmaid dress. For his benefit, she changed into her long Tweety nightshirt, and started to remove the many pins from her hair. The curls tumbled around her face and she sighed; might as well leave it as is.

Make-up off and glasses on, she returned to the living room to find Sheldon watching a documentary on meerkats.

He didn't look over at her, but knew she had come back. "Is it time for Yoohoo yet?"

Amy was already at the fridge pouring him the sweet drink. "Yep."

She carried his drink over to him, flicking off the main lights as she went. As she passed it to him, he looked at her quizzically and giggled. "Amy Farrah Fowler, why aren't you wearing any pants?"

Rolling her eyes at the physicist, she sat down next to him. "Sheldon, this nightshirt is long enough to qualify as a dress. Surely my bare legs don't offend you _that_ much?"

He frowned and shook his head quickly. "No, no! Not at all. I like Tweety…"

Amy yawned and rubbed an eye under her glasses. There was no way she was driving him back to his apartment tonight; he would just have to stay on the couch.

His attention had returned to the documentary, yet he seemed unsettled, shuffling his weight from one side to the other. He huffed and sank lower into the spot, leaning closer to Amy as he did.

"Amy?" He asked, quietly.

"Mm?"

He fidgeted with his cup before speaking. "Are you going to continue seeing Zach?"

Amy looked over at him, his white shirt rolled up to his elbows and first few buttons undone, with messy hair to boot. She thought carefully about her answer. "It depends."

Sheldon gave her a worried expression. "On…?"

"On whether you want us to be together again." She said, tilting her head to the side.

Sheldon didn't consider his answer at all; just spoke, quickly and confidently. "I do, most definitely. Although – as I mentioned to you earlier – technically we were never apart."

She rolled her eyes at him and smirked. "Sheldon…"

He smiled and leant his head back on the couch. "Okay, okay. Well, considering how great I was at this first time around – will you be my girlfriend, Amy? Again?"

"Yes." She giggled, hoping he would recall this conversation the next day. "One condition, though."

"Yes?"

"We re-write the Relationship Agreement; together, this time."

He considered it for a moment. "Agreed. We'll begin work on it tomorrow."

She smiled and looked back to the television, happiness overwhelming her. Despite the issues they had been experiencing, she felt so at home being his.

"Huh!" Sheldon remarked suddenly, giving her a fright. "This show is fascinating – I never knew so much about cute little meerkats!" He paused, drawing his eyebrows together. "You know what else is fascinating? That time when you kissed me."

Amy turned her head to him and muted the television. "What are you talking about?"

"You know – that time when I went out on a girls night with you and you got drunk and then you kissed me. Remember?"

She already knew precisely what he was referring to; though she couldn't remember the actual event occurring but had been told by Sheldon the following morning. "I remember you telling me, Sheldon. I thought we agreed to erase that from our memories?"

He made a face and squinted at the ceiling. "Nah, I will _never _forget that."

Amy's heart fluttered; would he never forget because it was a repulsive memory or because he enjoyed it? "Oh, how come?"

Sheldon pushed himself across even more and leant his head right near hers. "Weren't you listening, silly? I thought it was just fascinating."

That didn't really explain much either, although he was drunk and she wanted to know more. "You thought it was fascinating?"

Sheldon gave her a puzzled look. "Is you brain suffering some sort of damage this evening Miss. Neuroscientist? I found it fascinating because it didn't disgust me in the slightest and made my body go all tingly. I think I liked it." He reconsidered his answer. "Nope, I _did _like it."

Amy was struggling to contain her grin, which was tugging at the corners of her lips. "Really?"

"Really." He said, settling his head cautiously on her shoulder. The physical contact made both of their hearts thump faster, and Amy was sure she heard him sigh contentedly.

They sat that way for a few moments, until Amy felt something tickling her bare leg, which was tucked up underneath her. She shivered and looked down; Sheldon was tracing his finger along the outline of a few of her freckles. It took her breath away, and she stayed very still, worried that her movement would scare him away.

He dragged his long, slim finger across from one small freckle to the next, intrigued by the patterns they created. In his mind, everything seemed so light, so easy, so carefree. Her skin was so soft and warm; so comforting.

Amy twitched suddenly from the gentle contact and he jerked his hand away, snapping his head up to look at her. She was scared he would run, scared he would tell her he hated the way she felt…

His face was only inches from hers now, and she whispered softly. "I thought you didn't trust me…"

He watched her lips, as she bit them gently, and watched her eyes, as she looked at him intently. So close to her… an instinct he had never felt began to take over. "I'll always trust you…"

A magnetic force drew him toward her and suddenly their lips met, as gentle and soft as a whisper. Amy's breath disappeared from her lungs at the intimate contact, frozen in a state of wonder and awe. Slowly, he drew his hand up to caress her jaw line, a whole new Sheldon controlling his movements, and ran his hand along her warm skin. He felt alive; experiencing a longing he never had before, a desire to feel safe, loved and touched. His lips departed hers, only for a second, before he caught them again in a second kiss. Amy relented to him, pressing her lips against his with matched intensity; giving herself to him. A new sensation crept over Sheldon's body, and as he moved his lips against hers his tongue grazed her bottom lip, yearning for her. Boldly, he ran his free hand along her thigh and up along her torso... _I have to stop this, _Amy thought.

She pulled away, resting her forehead against his, heart racing. Sheldon opened his eyes to look at her; she could see desire, fear and uncertainty in the clouded blue. His cheeks were flushed and he was breathless – yet still not sober. Amy breathed deeply, struggling to resist the temptation to kiss him again; it was unfair to allow him to do this when he was not himself.

Sheldon exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "Amy, I…"

Amy knew he wanted to say a million words, but had already said so many with his actions. "Shhh…" She soothed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Can we cuddle?" He whispered hopefully, moving across the couch and opening out one arm for her to fit under.

She smiled and gave him a small nod, curling up under his arm. He drew both arms around her, holding her to him like she could escape at any moment. "You are _mine_, Amy Farrah Fowler…"

* * *

><p>The following morning, Sheldon awoke to the sound of dishes clanging. He felt positively awful – head throbbing insistently and his mouth as dry. Looking around, he realized he was on Amy's couch in her apartment, wrapped up in a wooly, warm blanket.<p>

Pushing back the blanket, he sat up, stretching his arms out in front of him. He heard more clanging from behind him in the kitchen, and groaned as the sound ricocheted through his pounding head. Feeling quite peculiar, he brought a hand to his head and tried to remember the events of the evening prior.

He recalled playing an epic game of Halo… watching as Bernadette and her bridesmaids walked down the aisle… he remembered Amy, radiating beauty as she danced with him… Amy, taking him home…

From the kitchen, Amy noticed Sheldon sit up and decided to pour him a drink of water. She took it over to the ragged looking scientist, who was holding his head in his hands.

"Morning, Sheldon." She said cheerily, putting the glass down in front of him.

Sheldon looked up at her, in her Tweety Bird night shirt with her hair pulled back off her face. As he stared into her green eyes, he remembered _everything_. He remembered leaning in toward Amy, kissing her… and enjoying the way it felt.

Unable to breathe, paralyzed by fear, he hurriedly stood up. "I have to go," he mumbled, reaching for his blazer.

Amy was stunned; she had not expected his reaction. "Sheldon, what –"

"I just have to go." He grabbed his things and flew out the front door, slamming it shut behind him.

Amy fell back onto her couch, shocked and hurt. When she'd woken that morning, she hadn't known whether he would even recall the events of the night before, and had hoped they might discuss it if he did; she had not been prepared for that. She felt herself slipping, emotions taking over. Had sharing a kiss with her truly been that terrible?

* * *

><p>A flustered and distracted Sheldon walked into his apartment, throwing his blazer over the back of his computer chair uncharacteristically. Leonard, who was sitting on the couch flicking through a comic, grinned at his disheveled friend.<p>

"And where have _you_ been all night?" He asked, before Sheldon could sneak off to his room.

Sheldon didn't even look at him. "Amy's."

Leonard put his comic book down on the coffee table and leant forward, giving Sheldon a look. "You sly dog! Sleeping over at Amy's!"

"Please Leonard, don't talk to me about it." Sheldon snapped, stomping down the hallway and into his bedroom, slamming it shut behind him.

Leonard sat on the couch, utterly confused, and shook his head. "Obviously didn't go too well, huh?" He called after him, settling back to read more of his comic.

In his room, Sheldon sat on the edge of his bed and held his head in his hands. This was all Penny's fault; he was sure she had deliberately provided him with alcoholic beverages over the course of the evening, with the hope that he would wind up intoxicated. He thought back to the night prior; thought back to when he had run his fingers over Amy's bare leg, inched closer and closer to her until he finally kissed her lips. Thought back to when he had told her that he had found their first kiss fascinating – a secret he had intended to take to his grave.

He groaned in frustration, how could he have allowed this to occur? He was always so careful, so controlled; so disinterested in the simplest notions of human intimacy. For so long, he had lived a life that involved science and continuous improvement of his own intellectual self – it seemed now, he was experiencing something that not even Spock would be able to help him solve. Despite his intelligence – no matter how superior a being he was – he couldn't help but long for that closeness to her once again; it made him feel… complete.

What had he done?

* * *

><p>It had been three days since Amy had heard from Sheldon.<p>

She had busied herself with work, diving into her addiction study and spending many hours at the lab, anything to get her mind off the events of their night together. Penny had tried to call her several times, but she just wanted to be left alone. Talking about it just made it worse.

Closing her laptop and heading to her kitchen for a drink, Amy sighed. She wondered how much Sheldon recalled from the evening, whether he remembered that they were supposed to be back together. Suddenly there was a knock at her door.

Amy wandered over and checked through the peephole – it was Penny. She opened the door and her blonde friend looked upset. "Oh my God, Amy! You have had me so worried! Why haven't you been answering my calls? What is going on?"

Penny folded her arms across her chest, demanding an explanation. Amy closed the door behind her and ran a hand over her head. "I've just needed some time to myself, that's all."

Penny looked closely at her, sensing a problem. "Sweetie, what's going on?

As Penny's eyes bored into her, Amy felt herself break. Bringing both hands across her face, she began to cry, emotions overwhelming her completely. Instantly there were arms around her, comforting her.

Penny had never seen Amy cry, not like this. "Oh, Ames, it's okay. C'mon honey, let's sit you down."

They sat down on the couch and Penny wrapped her arms around her. "Tell me what happened."

Amy told her everything. She told her every last detail, sobbing and using up half a tissue box. When she was done, she felt a little better. "Boys suck." She said, dabbing her eyes a final time.

Penny gave her a sympathetic smile. "They really do. Like, a lot." She sighed quietly, "Ames, you know you're going to have to talk to Sheldon."

"I don't want to talk to him, and he has made it quite clear that he does not want to talk to me either." Amy said angrily.

"The man has been moping about for days like a sad sack. You need to talk to him, or I will." Penny picked up her phone, and began to type. "Actually, I will. Right now."

Amy made a face; she didn't think that was the best idea. "Oh, no, don't worry about it –"

Penny shook her head and continued to type. "No, I've had it with him. He needs to know that you're hurting, and to start dealing with his emotions like everyone else."

She finished the text message on her phone and hit send.

* * *

><p>The very next morning, Penny marched over to Leonard and Sheldon's.<p>

"Sheldon!" She said, standing directly in front of the surprised physicist who was sitting in his spot, watching Dr. Who reruns. "I'm driving you over to Amy's and you are going to apologise to Amy. Now."

Sheldon looked past her and continued to watch television. Penny stepped across to block his view. "Did you get my message?"

He huffed at her and looked up. "Yes, I did get your message. It kept me up all night, in fact."

"Good. Have you thought about what I said?"

Sheldon reached around her for the remote and switched the television off. "I have, and my conclusion is that this is all your fault."

Penny felt like shaking him, his stubbornness was beyond her. "No, Sheldon, this has nothing to do with me. Amy is heart broken, and you're sitting here watching TV. Don't you feel even remotely responsible for her heart ache?"

"I do, actually," Sheldon got up to face her, "and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since."

Penny saw his face fall. "You need to talk to her."

"I know." He said, his voice quiet.

"I'll take you, come on."

* * *

><p>Amy sat at her computer, mindlessly checking her emails. She was overworked and tired; struggling to focus on everything she put her mind to. Aggravated, she closed her laptop and rubbed her eyes.<p>

Out of the blue, she heard a familiar succession of knocks and her name at her door. She felt her heart skip a beat and she hesitated as she opened the door.

"Hello, Amy." Sheldon said, giving her a lop-sided smile. He was holding a bunch of flowers in one hand, and a booklet in the other.

"Hi…" Amy responded, leaning nervously on the doorframe; hiding.

He held out the flowers abruptly, shuffling his weight awkwardly. "These are for you, Penny helped me pick them."

She didn't say a word, simply took the flowers from him and gestured for him to come inside. Placing the flowers on the kitchen bench, she grabbed a nearby vase and filled it with water, and slid them in carefully. When she turned, he was standing at the counter, waiting patiently.

"Amy," he began, taking a deep breath, "I want to apologize for my behaviour the other night. I was completely out of line and I am sorry for that – I hope you can forgive me."

Amy leant her hip against the counter across from him and folded her arms across her chest. She was struggling to find any words to say to him. "Why hadn't you contacted me since?"

He bit his lip and shuffled again. "I was embarrassed, and scared."

"Do you even remember what happened?" She said quietly, looking him in the eye.

He looked back, intently. "Yes."

Amy closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't take it; she could feel her throat burning and tears rising to her eyes. "Was kissing me really that awful?" She said, her voice breaking.

Sheldon could see she was struggling; he could see her pain. He walked around to stand in front of her. It took him a moment to gather his courage.

"No, it wasn't," he whispered, "you know I don't know how to handle this."

A tear escaped and she brushed it away quickly, nodding at him.

"Amy, I brought this," he held out the Relationship Agreement between them, holding it preciously, "I want to amend it, together – like I said we would."

Amy laughed and another tear escaped; she didn't even know why it was funny. She dabbed at it with her sleeve, smiling at him. "You know – you've cause me a lot of problems these last few days."

"I know," he said, handing her a tissue, "and I'm truly sorry for that. I meant what I said the other night, though – I want you to be my girlfriend; I want to make things right."

Impulsively, she took the agreement from him and with all of her strength, tore it in half. Sheldon stared at her in shock, as she tossed it on the counter.

"I want a single page agreement, that outlines that I will be yours, and you will be mine, and that all events in our relationship will be considered on a case-by-case basis. I don't want 32 pages of rules and regulations. I want to be together. If something occurs, we talk about it. We make regulations for the here and now. It's simple, Sheldon, simpler than anything you've ever come across."

Sheldon stood, stunned, and considered her proposal. His world was governed by rules and regulations, schedules and outlines; this threw him drastically out of his comfort zone.

When he didn't respond, Amy spoke again. "It's that or nothing, Sheldon. Your call."

The thought of losing her again was overwhelming, and he instinctively nodded. "Okay. Okay, I'll write it up tomorrow."

She smiled and went to slide past him to go to the couch, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in toward him, enveloping her in an awkward hug. He held her close, his arms wrapped all the way around her small body. He felt like he was protecting her.

"I'd better go," he said quietly, "Penny said she'd be back to pick me up at ten, and it's now quarter past."

They released from the embrace and she nodded, walking him over to the door. Smiling, she stood up on tiptoe, kissing him gently on the cheek. His skin was soft, aside from the light late-night stubble, and she could smell his aftershave.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear, and he turned to go.

He gave her a small wave and headed down the hallway. "Goodnight, Amy."

"Goodnight, Sheldon." She said and closed the door. Exhausted, she leant against the doorframe once again and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She stayed that way for a few moments, attempting to process the situation that had occurred. She was elated by the turn of events.

Suddenly, a single knock sounded at her door, making her jump. _That's strange, _she thought, _not normal for Sheldon – _

She opened the door and standing there was Zach.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> And here we have chapter eleven! Apologies for the longer delay; have been super busy with life and then left my USB in the computer at work. Very frustrating. Anyway – hope you all enjoy this next chapter, please review and continue to give comments/ideas/etc. I love it!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Eleven**

"Really, Amy?" Zach said, stepping past her into the apartment. "That weird geeky friend of Penny's? What was his name again… Shelly?"

"Sheldon." Amy replied impatiently, following him as he barged in. "Zach, what are you doing here?"

Zach took a seat in her computer chair and crossed his arms across his chest. "Well, I came to see my woman of course – though I was a little surprised to see another man walking out of her apartment."

Amy suppressed a laugh and took a deep breath. "Zach… I'm sorry but I am not 'your woman', we went on one date."

"Oh," Zach's face fell slightly and he rolled closer to her, "I just thought that after the other night we were… you know…"

Zach trailed off and looked at the floor. Amy sighed; this was not what she needed, not now. She could feel the tension in the room rising, quickly. Suddenly Zach stood up and balled his fists at his side.

"Amy – this is stupid! I may not be as smart as that nerd you've been seeing but at least I understand how to act like a human! As if he's ever going to make you happy!" He said angrily, inching closer to her with each word.

"Look, Zach, Sheldon and I are together now and –"

Zach came closer to her and she took a step back. "Together? Together how? Does he kiss you? Touch you? Have sex with you?"

Amy looked away and felt her heart racing; she had no idea what to say to make him leave. "Zach, please –"

"That's what I thought." He grabbed her chin between his fingers and tilted her head up to his. "I can give you those things, Amy. He will never make you happy."

"What is going on here?" Came the angry voice of Sheldon from the open doorway. He examined the pair, Zach holding Amy's face in his hands.

Zach looked over at him and wrapped his arms around Amy's waist. "Came to see my girl here, we were just talking about you actually."

Amy pushed him away roughly and glared at him. "No. Zach was just leaving. Now."

Zach huffed and shook his head, releasing her. "Fine." He stormed past her toward the door, shouldering her. Her back hit the corner of the counter roughly and she took in a sharp breath. "Bitch."

Sheldon instantly blocked his path, furious by what he had seen and heard. "How _dare_ you. Take that back."

Zach looked Sheldon in the eye and moved to step around him. "No."

Sheldon stepped in his way again. "Take, it, back. Apologize to her."

"You don't know when to give up, do you? She doesn't want to be with you, she wants _me_ –"

"Well, it most certainly would not appear that way given that she is kicking you out of her apartment –"

"Oh, yeah, well –"

"Enough!" Amy yelled, causing both men to look across at her. "Zach, get _out!_"

An aggravated Zach flexed the muscles in his arms deliberately and took one last look at Sheldon. "You will never make her happy; you're too fucking scared to touch her… she'd be better off without you."

With that, he pushed past Sheldon and walked out the door. Sheldon slammed it behind him and raced over to Amy, who was leaning against the counter, white as a ghost.

"Oh, Amy, are you alright?" He threw his bag back onto her couch and came over to inspect her. "What happened? Penny and I saw Zach heading up the stairs to your apartment, I ran back as fast as I could -"

The events of the past moments caught up with Amy and she swayed on the spot, Sheldon catching her awkwardly. "Sorry – me and confrontation don't go so well together…" She mumbled, attempting to rebalance herself.

"No, no – that's quite alright. Here, let's sit you down." He led her to the couch and she sat down carefully, holding her head in her hands. Sheldon looked around uncomfortably, unsure how to aid further. "Um… let me make you a hot beverage!"

Heading back into Amy's tiny kitchen, he began making her a tea, looking across occasionally to ensure she was still upright. Once finished, he brought it over and sat beside her. "Amy, what happened?"

Amy ran a hand through her hair and exhaled loudly. "When you left, I heard a knock – which I assumed would be you – opened the door and there was Zach -"

"Amy, you shouldn't ever open your door without looking first! And since when do I only knock once… you know better than that –" He scolded, cut off by Amy's death stare. "Go on."

"He just barged in and started ranting about how he wants us to be together, and that I will never be happy with you and –" She stopped and whimpered slightly, her back was aching from the impact with the counter corner.

Sheldon eyed her carefully as she cradled her lower back with her hand. He felt his face get hot and the fury bubbled inside him. "That oversized, moronic buffoon! He has no right just waltzing in here, unannounced – it is complete violation of… of everything!" He spat, now out of his seat and pacing the room. "I could kill the bastard –"

Amy grabbed his hand and tugged him back onto the couch. "Sheldon, it's okay –"

"No, it most certainly is _not _okay!" He said, turning toward her. "He hurt you!"

"I'm okay, honestly. You'd better go – Penny will be waiting for you." Amy said, attempting to calm him.

Sheldon dug around in his pocket for his phone and began typing. "No, I am not leaving. There – now Penny knows I'm staying. Done."

They sat in silence for a moment, Sheldon struggling not to get up and pace about more. Amy exhaled, finally feeling less shaky. "I'm sorry you had to witness that – to be honest I didn't think I'd ever see him again after our last encounter."

Sheldon screwed up his nose. "After you denied him intercourse?"

She pursed her lips and nodded, feeling his discomfort with the topic. He looked down at his lap, contemplating his next words. "I'm glad you did."

Amy looked over at him, startled, and watched as he played with the tassel on her cushion. She smiled. "Why, Sheldon?"

He wasn't willing to give away any more; the abundance of human emotion was overwhelming him. "Just am."

She nodded and rose to examine her back in the bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind her. Stripping off her cardigan, she turned her back to the mirror and pulled up the bottom of her shirt, craning her neck around to look. As she had suspected, there was the beginning of a nasty bruise, her fair skin taking on a bluish purple tone with a red outline of the counter corner in the centre. She ran her hand over it and winced, not for a second noticing Sheldon standing in the doorway.

Sheldon watched as she examined the injury, tilting his head curiously at her exposed flesh. He could see her stomach and the gradual curve of her waist, hidden under the crisp white blouse; parts of a woman he had rarely seen. It was… interesting. His eyes fell to her bruised skin and the fiery anger he felt made him clench his fists and let out a scowl.

Amy jumped and tugged her shirt back down, startled by the noise. She looked across at Sheldon, who was now averting his eyes to the tiled floor, face red as ever. He finally looked up at her. "You should really put something on that to reduce the swelling…"

Amy shrugged and stepped past him into the living room. "It'll be fine." She smiled, remembering that he would be staying the night. "You know you're going to have to take the couch – unless of course you want to bunk with me."

Sheldon rolled his eyes and followed her. "I should think _not_." He folded his arms across his chest and watched as she poured them a drink each. "Besides - as your guest, shouldn't you be offering me your bed?"

Amy smirked and sipped her drink, sliding his across the bench. "I believe I already did – there would just be an Amy in it."

Sheldon blinked a few times before responding to her. "Fine, I'll take the couch."

"Your loss." She headed over to her bedroom, stopping in the doorway to look back at him. "'Night, Sheldon."

* * *

><p>Sheldon could not get comfortable. The small couch featured zero lumbar support, and was positively a foot too short for his tall stature. Moving his pillow and tossing onto his side, he huffed. The things he would do for this woman…<p>

He shuffled again and decided it was hopeless, sitting up and reaching for the television remote. This was ridiculous. Perhaps bunking with Amy would not be such a bad idea…

Shaking his head and switching the channel, he laughed at himself quietly. What an absurd idea – he did not share a bed with _anyone, _let alone a _girl. _

He relaxed back into the couch and stared at the television mindlessly – something was bothering him. The feelings he had been experiencing over the past few weeks were new to him; he didn't like it, they made him feel vulnerable, human. The thought of Zach touching Amy, kissing her… left him feeling helpless and furious all at once.

The memory of the kiss that they had shared only nights before would not leave him. He remembered the way it had made him feel – happy, safe, warm inside. She had kissed him in return, and he hadn't wanted to stop; hadn't felt disgusted by the act. The image of her in her nightshirt with hair messy and not a speck of make-up seemed to surpass his every thought; making concentrating on anything supremely difficult. If only he could place this feeling…

Suddenly, he heard a cry from Amy's room and was off the couch faster than he could even process. Knocking in his usual succession, he waited at her door impatiently for a response.

Another cry sounded from her room and he opened the door, incredibly distressed. "Amy?"

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spotted Amy sitting against the headboard, knees drawn to her chest and head rested against them. She was sobbing quietly. He rushed to her and sat beside her on the bed.

"Amy, what's wrong? What happened?" He looked her over urgently, brushing the hair out of her face, ensuring she was not injured. "Amy?"

"Sheldon?" She said, looking up at him with wet eyes. "What… why…"

She looked around, confused, before it dawned on her. Sheldon couldn't contain himself any longer. "Amy, please, tell me what happened."

"My night terrors… I must have had one… I'm so sorry…" She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her head, embarrassed.

Sheldon released the breath he had been holding, scared that something awful had occurred. "Oh, is that all."

Amy glared at him playfully, sliding her legs back under the covers. "Yes, '_that's all'_."

He shifted uncomfortably; suddenly very aware of their proximity, and the fact that she was wearing no pants. "Well, I suppose I should head back to the couch then…"

He turned to leave, and she caught his hand. "Please, don't go… stay for a while?"

"Alright," he said reluctantly, settling back on the very edge of her bed, "well, your room is far more organised than Penny's, and far less pink –"

Amy looked at him quizzically as she shuffled across the bed, patting the spot next to her above the covers. "Why were you in Penny's room?"

Sheldon hesitated and shifted across, leaning against the headboard as she was. "For a multitude of bizarre reasons – tidying her room, aiding her when she slipped over in the shower, helping her get dressed –"

Amy looked at him, stunned, her stomach dropping through the floor. "_What?_"

Sheldon shrugged. "Penny slipped and fell in the shower and no one else was available to assist her so I came to her aid. She certainly could not go down to the hospital without clothes so I helped her dress for the occasion."

Amy was a little flabbergasted by his story, opening her mouth to speak with no words. "Did you see her naked?"

Sheldon averted his eyes to the ceiling. "No…"

"Sheldon…"

"Okay, yes." He said, flailing his arms into the air with fake exasperation. "And I will tell you as I told her; the hero always peeks."

Amy sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Well, whilst I am immeasurably jealous, I am also quite disheartened that I now have to compete with such a perfectly sculpted being."

Sheldon looked at her, utterly confused. "Compete? For what? Is this some kind of peculiar female rivalry that I am not privy to? Because if it is I would rather not know…"

Amy rolled her eyes and sighed again; he truly was oblivious. "Compete for your approval, Sheldon."

She watched as the realisation rolled across his face, which quickly turned into more confusion. He frowned at her. "You're my girlfriend, not Penny…"

"Regardless, I would imagine her figure would be far more aesthetically pleasing than mine -" Amy started, cut off by an irritated Sheldon.

"Amy, can we please stop discussing this?" He snapped, finding the topic too difficult to bear. "Besides, if I have never seen you naked how can I judge?"

Amy froze and looked at him, unsure as to how to respond. "Well –"

"No." Sheldon said, before she could continue. She laughed at him and – to her surprise – he smiled back at her. He was easy to stir.

Amy snuggled down under the covers and put her head on her pillow, watching him as he fidgeted nervously. "I think I need to get some sleep, and I'm sure you do too. You can stay here if you want."

Sheldon looked down at her, and then through the door at her couch. She looked comfortable, and he trusted her. It took him a moment to answer. "Alright."

He laid down beside her above the covers, flat on his back and exhaled deeply, fighting the thumping in his chest. In the dark, he could make out the faint outline of her face, and he swore he could see a smile playing on her lips.

Tentatively, Amy reached out for his hand and held it in hers, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Amy rolled over feeling particularly refreshed. Opening her eyes and stretching out her limbs, she looked across to the spot where her bedfellow had slept, and in his place was a note.<p>

_Amy,_

_Didn't want to wake you – gone to work. _

_Come by and see me if you have time._

_Sheldon_

The brunette hauled herself out of bed, wishing that he had not left so hastily. It was already ten o'clock – she _never_ overslept – so she quickly showered and headed over to see him.

* * *

><p>Caltech was a hive of activity this particular morning; much to a certain overtired theoretical physicist's frustration. There were people everywhere; asking him measly questions, requesting his opinion on such simple things… he just needed some time to focus on his work without interruptions.<p>

Leonard put his head into his and Raj's office. "Hey, Sheldon! Where were you last night?"

Sheldon didn't look up from his computer. "Amy's."

Leonard looked across to Raj, who had his feet up on the desk, and gave him a questioning look. He shrugged. "No idea, dude."

Knowing from his previous experience, Leonard didn't ask any further questions. "Well – everyone ready to go to lunch?"

Raj jumped out from behind his large desk and joined Leonard, but Sheldon remained behind. "I'll follow you later; I just need to complete this report."

Leonard and Raj left and he continued typing. Moments later, he heard another knock at his door.

"Leonard – I said I won't be long –" He turned to scold his friend, and standing in his place was Amy. "Oh, hello Amy!"

"Hey, Sheldon." She leant on the edge of his desk and looked around his cramped office. "Well this is… cozy."

Sheldon fetched something off the printer and sighed. "Unfortunately yes. I have been petitioning to gain my own office space, though it appears that my request is falling on deaf ears."

Amy nodded and made eye contact with him. "Look, Sheldon, I just wanted to say thank you for being with me last night, for helping me out with the whole Zach incident... and I hope our arrangement last night didn't cause you too much discomfort…"

"That's quite alright," he said, rustling through more paperwork on his desk, "and the arrangement was not ideal however steps had to be taken to ensure your safety."

Amy smirked at him as he avoided her eyes, fetching for a pen and testing it on a piece of scrap. "I didn't mind one bit." She added, and his eyes shot up toward her, curious.

Not waiting for a response from him, she placed a key in front of him. "This is for you."

Sheldon picked it up between his fingers and eyed it carefully. "What's it for?"

"My apartment," she said quietly, "it's my spare; I want you to have it."

He continued to examine the key and then looked at her, confused. "I have a feeling that I may be missing something here… why would I have any need to come into your apartment?"

Amy laughed. "I believe that when a girlfriend gives her boyfriend a key to their apartment it's a pretty big thing, or so Penny tells me."

Sheldon shrugged and added it to his key ring. He picked up a piece of paper and handed it to her. "May I present to you the new and improved 'Relationship Agreement'."

Amy took the document and began to read. The agreement was only a single page in length, as promised, and featured a similar basic outline to their original agreement; the main difference defined by one paragraph.

_Section 1: Part A_

_All events, including but not limited to physical, verbal, emotional and intellectual, will be evaluated and assessed on a case-by-case basis throughout the term of the relationship. The evaluation of events will involve both parties and will preferably occur in advance of the event in question. _

She smiled and reached for a pen, signing the bottom line. "Now _that _is romantic."

Sheldon looked over at her happily and took the agreement from her. "Well, I'm glad that you are satisfied with the final result. This was quite difficult for me to complete… I do feel that there could be provision for just a couple of clauses relating to –" Amy glared at him and he stopped, careful to ensure she was content. "How about we get lunch?"

"Sure." Amy said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and pushing away from the desk. Tentatively, she leant over to him and gave him a tiny peck on the cheek; a silent thank you.

Now it was up to her to test the new boundaries of their agreement…


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hoorah for chapter twelve! Got a few things to say before I go on… firstly, there have been a similar amount of reviews on the last chapter however a drop in reviews; I am unsure as to whether this is because people were disappointed that there wasn't as much 'drama' in the last chapter – just wanting to clarify something. This is an ongoing piece; essentially it is set out over, say, a season. The events that take place will not always relate back directly to the occurrences of the early chapters, and I intend to include new plotlines, etc. I am definitely open to constructive criticism, and particularly open to plotline ideas/suggestions, but please do not expect big jumps in the Shamy relationship – it has got a little way to go yet. Also – I have had a few people comment that Zach is out of character; to be honest he was originally going to be an original character but I'm not a fan of writing in original characters if it can be helped so Zach has undergone some changes for the benefit of the fic, haha. Please continue reading, and enjoy, and don't forget to review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Twelve**

"Well, Bernadette, did you know that Leonardo de Vinci placed an overturned salt dish in front of Judas in his famous depiction of _The Last Supper_ as he believed to be an ill omen?" Sheldon began, pointing his fork at the upturned salt shaker, which Bernadette had knocked over in an effort to reach for a napkin. "And did you also know that some people collect salt and pepper shakers as a hobby, not unlike collecting stamps… although I do not see the purpose of such a useless and mundane compilation…"

The following evening, the group were once again seated around Sheldon and Leonard's small coffee table eating Thai. Bernadette made her best attempt to smile back at him, hoping he would not continue with his story.

"Oh, and did you also know –" The group groaned in unison, all but Amy, who sat beside Sheldon eager to hear his facts.

Leonard huffed and squirmed in his seat, which was being shared by his blonde girlfriend. "Sheldon, I really don't think we need to hear the entire history of salt."

"Unless you wish to discuss the version featuring the superb Angelina Jolie…" Howard began, ducking as he was swatted by Bernadette's plastic fork.

Penny jumped in. "So, Howard, Bernadette – you've hardly told us a thing about your honeymoon since your return, how was it?"

Howard grinned, resting back into the computer chair he was seated upon. "It was incredible… I did not want to leave..."

"It was wonderful!" Bernadette squeaked, almost bouncing with excitement. "Hawaii is such a beautiful place… and it was just so romantic…"

Amy chuckled to herself. "Of course it was… the entire trip was an opportunity for the two of you to participate in socially accepted love making. Although I don't know how socially approved the act is if it has already occurred prior to the wedding…"

For one reason or another, Raj found this especially humourous, and leant over to give Amy a silent high-five. Sheldon gave her a disapproving look and shook his head. "Actually, Raj – it was your people who inspired the Westerners to begin holidaying during their honeymoon period. Upper-class members of the Indian society would go on 'bridal tours' to visit friends and relatives who were unable to attend the wedding ceremony. Europe quickly adopted the trend, turning it into a pointless 'romantic' trip for the newly married couple. A waste of time, in my opinion, when you could be –"

Penny ignored Sheldon's comments and cut him off. "Ames, I don't think anyone actually is a virgin on their wedding night any more… unless, of course, you're Sheldon."

Sheldon shot her a glare. "Don't be so presumptuous, Penny, you don't know that for a fact."

All eyes were on him suddenly, Howard making a mocking 'ooo' noise. Leonard raised his eyebrows at Sheldon. "Oh, come on, Sheldon –"

Raj took a huge first swig of his beer. "I've got to hear this…"

Penny smirked at him. "He's bluffing; it's pretty obvious, Sheldon..."

Amy stared at him intently, waiting for the 'Bazinga'.

Sheldon looked down at his Thai food and back up at Penny, unwilling to admit to a 'yes' or 'no' answer. "Why on _earth _would I want to involve myself in such an unsanitary display of short-lived affection? It's just ridiculous… and unhygienic…"

Penny settled back into her spot and took a bite out of her dumpling. "That's what I thought."

Amy shrugged, coming to his defense. "I think it's quite admirable, actually. There's nothing wrong with withholding from coitus until you're ready –"

"Oh, Ames, you're only saying that because you're in the exact same boat as Dr. Romantic over here." Penny said, placing her plate down and crossing her legs.

Amy frowned at her bestie and put her plate down too. "Well, it's not much of a secret any more now, is it?"

Sensing she had made a mistake, Penny backpedaled. "Oh, sweetie – there's nothing to be embarrassed about…"

Amy looked frustrated and stood to rinse her plate. "Oh, no, nothing at all…"

The group looked around awkwardly, except Sheldon, who was watching Amy at the sink. Penny followed her over and put an arm around her. "I'm sorry, Amy… I didn't mean to upset you…"

Amy shrugged and smiled at her friend. "I know… besides, how could I stay mad at you? You're like a beautiful, wonderful man-magnet…"

Penny sensed her misery and squeezed her shoulder. "Hey – you're a little man-magnet yourself nowadays! You had Zach wanting to jump your bones didn't you –"

"I _can _hear you, you know." Sheldon called, eyes focused on the catalogue he was browsing over.

The two girls laughed quietly and Penny sighed, whispering quietly: "And then there's _him _too…"

Amy raised an eyebrow at her and Penny grinned mischievously, leading her back over to the living area. "Bernadette, you good to go? Think it's time for a girl's night… and I'm in the mood for some travel Twister!" Penny grinned at Amy, who beamed back happily.

Howard wiggled his eyebrows. "Can I come watch?"

Sheldon peered at him over his catalogue, confused. "Why would you want to watch? Three girls, contorting their bodies in order to reach ridiculous coloured dots… where's the fun in that?"

Raj gave Sheldon a suggestive look and surprisingly, he caught on. "Oh…" He frowned and rolled up his catalogue, smacking Howard over the head with it. "No."

Penny laughed as Howard rubbed his neck, swearing at Sheldon. "I agree with Sheldon on this one; no."

Bernadette poked her tongue out at her husband and headed out the door, followed by her two girlfriends. Before Amy could make it into Penny's apartment, Sheldon called after her.

"Amy, a moment?" He said, stopping in the hallway. She turned to him and her friends headed inside, shutting the door and giggling. "I was wondering if you would like to accompany me on a date tomorrow evening."

Amy looked at him, puzzled. "Tomorrow is a Tuesday… that would disrupt your regular night at The Cheesecake Factory… and our date night is not due for another two weeks, if my calculations are correct."

Sheldon bit his lip and shuffled. "Well, now that our Relationship Agreement is a little more flexible… I was thinking we could make some exceptions…"

It took a moment for his words to sink in; this was huge for Sheldon. Amy grinned at him, happy as ever. "I'd love that – meet at my place, five o'clock?"

"Sure," Sheldon said, heading back into his apartment, "goodnight, Amy."

"Goodnight!" She said enthusiastically, skipping back into Penny's apartment and taking a seat in a bar stool.

Looking up from pouring a glass of wine for the three of them, Penny smirked. "What are you so happy about?"

Amy put a hand under her chin and leant forward. "My boyfriend and I are going on a date tomorrow night!"

Bernadette hopped up onto the chair beside her, gushing. "Ooo Amy's got a date with Sheldon and it isn't even a Thursday!"

Penny looked at Amy, surprised by her news. "No way!"

Amy smiled and guzzled down half of the sweet wine Penny had poured for her. "Yep!"

Penny gave her a teasing smile. "Aw, look at Sheldon changing his life around for you! What will be next…"

"Yeah, what _will _be next?" Bernadette giggled, nudging Amy playfully. Amy looked back at her blankly and Penny laughed.

"Ames, you need to seduce the man already. I'll take my hat off to ya if you can get rid of that big 'V' he's wearing so proudly…"

Amy smiled and screwed up her nose slightly. They would just have to wait and see…

* * *

><p>Sheldon had finished up work for the day early, and was contemplating heading over to Amy's. Walking out the front of Caltech, he realized that he would have to catch a bus, as Leonard didn't finish for another hour. He pulled out his pocket watch and flicked it open; only three-thirty. He and Amy had agreed to meet at five, although he knew that Amy wasn't currently working Tuesdays, so she would most likely be home.<p>

After a short and uncomfortable bus ride to Amy's apartment, Sheldon found himself outside her door. He rose his hand to knock and then remembered the key she had given him – what a perfect opportunity to use it. Slipping it into the keyhole, he opened the door, feeling oddly guilty for entering her apartment without her knowledge. That was what the key was for, right?

Pulling his bag over his head and placing it on the side table, he noticed her handbag on the couch; she was home. The apartment was dimly lit and he couldn't see her in the main living area.

"Amy?" He called, receiving no response. Listening closer, he heard the faint sound of music and followed it, assuming it was coming from her room. Before he got that far, he heard the soft music coming from her bathroom, which had the door ajar. Without thinking, he pushed the door open.

His heart stopped.

Amy was lying, with her wet hair piled on top of her head, in a bubble-filled bath tub, one slender leg sprawled out over the edge and her eyes closed. Sheldon couldn't move, couldn't speak; couldn't take his eyes off her. The bubbles were almost strategically placed, and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed softly uncovered her defined collar bones and the outline of her cleavage…

His heart rate sped up and he began to feel feverish, suddenly feeling dizzy and dehydrated. The abrupt physiological change he was experiencing caused him to take a sharp breath, and this did not go unnoticed by his relaxed female companion.

"Sheldon?" She screeched, splashing water everywhere and grasping for the towel placed neatly on the edge of the tub. "What the _hell?_"

His mind came crashing back down and he fumbled about, not knowing what to do, where to look. The only other time he had been in a naked woman's presence was with Penny, in quite a similar scenario, however he had been granted permission to be there. "Hello…"

Amy had managed to wrap the beige towel around herself, although it was now completely soaked and stuck to her figure. Sheldon was trying desperately not to look at her, but felt obliged as he was now conversing with her. Face red and angry, she gripped the wet towel around her naked form and scowled at him.

"Get _out!_" She yelled, pushing a wet hand into his chest to propel him out the door and slamming it behind him.

Sheldon did not feel well. He leant against the door frame, breathing heavily and sweating. He had never experienced such a combination of symptoms at one time… and he had a feeling he knew the dreaded explanation.

Waiting a few moments for her to calm down, he knocked gently in his usual succession.

"What?" An irritated Amy yelled through the door, busily trying to dry herself off.

Sheldon rubbed his head and sighed. "Amy, I'm sorry…" He began hoarsely, clearing his throat, "I finished early, and had the key, and you know…"

Words were evading him completely and it was beyond frustrating. Of all the times he required full control of his brain; it had to be this one that he couldn't string together a sentence. "I'm sorry I upset you Amy, I didn't mean to… I didn't think…"

The door swung open and out marched Amy, hair thrown up into a wet mess of a bun and a dryer towel clutched firmly around her body. She pushed past him and headed into her bedroom, slamming that door too. "Wow, Dr. Sheldon Cooper not thinking something through? That's a goddamn first!" She called angrily from the other side of the door.

Sheldon said nothing, instead walked away gloomily and sat on her couch. Perhaps he should leave…

In the bedroom, Amy threw on a pair of tracksuit pants and an oversized t-shirt, still riled from her sudden visitor. Sitting on the edge of her bed and taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and calmed herself. _This isn't a bad thing, _she thought to herself, _he couldn't stop looking at you…_

She sighed and ran a hand over her wet hair; it wasn't truly Sheldon she was mad at. She was frightened; embarrassed that he would see her that way, without her knowledge…

_I gave him the key, this was a consequence of that… it's not his fault._

Pushing the door open, she gingerly walked over to sit beside him. He was pale, and seemed to be deep in thought, his face plastered with shock and confusion. Finally he turned to her. "I assume that you would like the key back –"

"No!" Amy said quickly, "No, Sheldon… I want you to have it. This is why I gave you the key –" she backpedaled, "well not _that_ exactly; I want you to feel like you can come over whenever you want to… I just didn't expect you to walk in on me whilst I was taking a bath…"

Sheldon closed his eyes and pursed his lips; he felt so vulnerable. "I'm sorry; I didn't think when I opened the door, honestly…"

Amy hushed him and smiled. "It's okay. I understand that the lure of my body finally got to you…"

Sheldon looked over at her; eyes wide. "I –"

She slapped herself in the forehead and cut him off. "Sheldon – 'Bazinga' moment."

"Ah."

They sat in silence for a moment, processing the events of the last half hour. Amy was curious to know what Sheldon had seen, what he had thought, what he had felt, but couldn't bring herself to ask him. He sat quietly, staring at a spot on the wall, unmoving.

"Sheldon, are you okay?"

Sheldon snapped out of his trance and looked at her. "Oh, yes, I'm fine… just not feeling too well."

"Do you have a fever?" Amy reached out and placed a hand across his forehead, but he jerked away as if he had been burnt. "What's wrong?"

Sheldon rose from the couch and picked up his bag. "Amy, would you mind if we postponed our date night to tomorrow evening? I think I need to get home…"

Amy bit her lip, concerned for her boyfriend. "Let me drive you home…"

The trip back to Sheldon and Leonard's apartment was mostly silent. Sheldon felt guilt for abandoning their date night, however he just need to get home. His mind was buzzing with activity; the complex mixture of emotions he was experiencing making him feel ill. He just couldn't stop picturing her in that bath tub… it was maddening.

Amy pulled up out the front of their building. "Do you want me to walk you up?"

"No, that's fine." He opened the car door and bundled his things. "I'm sorry again Amy… for everything."

She gave him a small smile and nodded, watching him as he walked inside. A single sentence kept echoing through her mind…

_A cross we all must bear…_

* * *

><p>Sheldon walked up the final flight of stairs to his apartment hurriedly, feeling ill and uncomfortable in his own skin. As he reached the top of the stairs, he turned right instead of left, walking over to 4B instead of his own.<p>

He knocked three times and said Penny's name quietly each time. The blonde opened her door, giving him a confused look.

"What's kickin' chicken?"

He looked at her solemnly, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Penny, I need your help."


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Chapter thirteen! Yay! My apologies for the delay once again, I wanted to spend a fair bit of time on this chapter to really get it right; there are some important/interesting character interactions that required a lot of thought and I didn't want to rush through it. The latter part of this chapter is not especially crucial to the overall storyline; it was an idea I had thought up a little while ago and wanted to include it in the interest of Sheldon's character development. Hope you all like it and please remember to review.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Frowning at the tall scientist, Penny opened the door wider and beckoned him inside. He looked disheveled; his usually perfectly groomed hair tousled slightly and an unreadable expression painted across his face.

"What's up…?"

Sheldon stepped inside, shuffling over to her aqua couch and taking a seat gingerly. He folded his hands in his lap. "Penny, something is wrong. Very wrong."

The stern, anxious look on his face made Penny's stomach drop and she shrunk into the seat beside him. "What is it Sheldon? Is it your mom? Your sister?"

"No, no," Sheldon said, waving his hand dismissively, "it's _me. _Penny… I think I'm sick."

She settled back into the couch and eyed him warily; he had a habit of being a hypochondriac and did not deal well with illness. She watched as he gazed around her untidy home, eyes wide and face pale. Something was certainly not right. "Sheldon, if you think that you're sick you need to see a doctor; there's not a whole bunch I can do for you."

Sheldon huffed. "_Of course _I will consult a doctor… I just wanted to get an opinion first, and you seem to have some kind of menial skill in providing futile advice to people in need."

Penny squinted at him, not understanding numerous words in his sentence. "What?"

He huffed again and turned his body to face her, not bothering to explain himself. "Penny, over the last two hours I have experienced a most astonishing and perturbing array of symptoms; abnormally fast heart rate, dizziness, excessive sweating, dry mouth, inability to concentrate... and I swear my pupils were dilated as Amy and I drove home…"

Penny was no doctor, but these symptoms did not sound terribly distressing to her. "Could just be a head cold… or maybe you need to eat…?"

Sheldon groaned and rubbed a hand over his forehead. "No – it can't be… the combination of symptoms does not correlate to a common cold –"

Penny looked at him, perplexed. "It certainly sounds like a fairly standard set of symptoms you've got there, Dr. Cooper…"

"No," he sighed again, "there was something else…"

The blonde was growing bored of his troubles. "Which was….?"

Sheldon squirmed uncomfortably and muttered a response, which she could not comprehend. "I'm sorry – what?"

He cleared his throat and stared directly at a speck of dirt on her carpet. "Throbbing of the… uh… genital region…"

Penny's jaw dropped and she suppressed the urge to burst into a fit of laughter. "_What?_ Sheldon – that doesn't sound – wait, let's just back up for a minute…"

Sheldon was avoiding her gaze at all costs, his eyes darting around the room for something to study. Penny inhaled deeply and pushed forward to sit on the edge of her seat. "Okay – so what happened before you started experiencing the symptoms? Did someone kick you… down there?"

"No, of course not." Sheldon responded coolly. "I was over at Amy's; I'd headed there early because I'd finished up at work and I walked in on her in the bath tub –"

Penny's breath caught in her chest and she choked on nothing but air. "_You what?"_

Sheldon groaned again and put his head in his hands. "I knew you'd react like that…"

Penny was up and pacing the floor, shaking her head with an awestruck grin on her face. "Oh my _God _– Sheldon! You saw Amy _naked _in a bath tub?"

Sheldon tilted his head from side to side indecisively. "Well… not completely… the bubbles were quite strategically placed –"

Penny looked straight at him, wide eyed and pointed at him emphatically. "You _knew_ this was the cause!"

Sheldon started to mouth words that wouldn't form, wouldn't leave his mouth, and rose up to stand in front of her. "Well… I…"

Penny took a step closer and narrowed her eyes at him. "You never thought you were 'sick'; you just wanted someone to tell you that you were! Sheldon, you knew all along!"

"I had an inkling that arousal may have been the culprit…" He mumbled, folding his arms across his chest like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

Penny could not believe it. She smiled and shook her head; this was incredible. "You liked what you saw! You saw Amy Farrah Fowler naked and you _liked _it!"

Sheldon pursed his lips. "I… I –"

Penny let out a loud cackle and flopped back onto the couch beside him. "Naw, little Shelly's growing up so fast! I never thought this day would come…"

He scowled quietly and glared at her. "Penny, I don't _want _this… I don't _want _to feel like this… what should I do?"

She sighed and gave him a lopsided smile. "Sweetie… there's not a whole lot you can do… did you read the book we gave you –"

"Yes I read the stupid book!" Sheldon snapped, reddening even further. "Nothing I didn't already know…" He added, muttering under his breath.

Penny shrugged. "C'mon, Sheldon… you're a scientist… you know that this is just a natural part of life… one that you're _not _so immune to either, apparently…"

For the first time, he looked at her desperately; eyes full of fear. "Penny, what should I do?"

She wandered across to her kitchen and poured herself a drink casually, keeping him in suspense. Finally, she looked back at him, a smile struggling to contain itself on her lips. "You could always… try it?"

Sheldon looked back at her blankly. "Try what?"

Penny huffed and rolled her eyes. "Now who's the one having to spell things out… try _sex_, Sheldon."

Sheldon recoiled like he had been slapped and screwed up his nose in distaste. "Oh, come now, Penny – you know I have no interest nor intention of engaging in such a primitive activity –"

Sitting back down beside him, she shrugged again. "Well, seems that your body disagrees."

"But you know I haven't – you know I don't know –" He spluttered, feeling helpless.

"You asked for my opinion, Sheldon. That's it. No one is making you do anything you don't want to do. It's that, or you go on ignoring it as I'm sure you have done successfully for many, many years." She concluded.

Sheldon fidgeted in his spot and considered her words. He had been afraid this would occur; yet so sure he could keep it under control, as he did with all other human sensations. He thought back to his mother's words, encouraging him. He thought back to Amy's wet figure, chest rising and falling under soapy bubbles…

"Hypothetically, if I were to decide to increase the amount of intimacy within our relationship, what sort of… steps would be necessary?" He asked, carefully selecting every word.

Penny blinked at him a few times before answering. "I cannot believe I am having this conversation with you." She took a deep breath. "You could take her away somewhere… you know, 'butter her up' a little…"

Sheldon jerked his head back in confusion, dismissing her odd ending comment. "Hmm… Amy did say she would like me to kiss her where she'd never been kissed before…"

Penny stifled a laugh, aware that her innocent friend had no idea to what Amy had truly been referring. "Okay… the maybe you could take her to dinner… bring her back to your room… kiss her, touch her…"

Before she had even completed her sentence, Sheldon was off the couch and reaching for his bag. "I can't do this…" He mumbled, throwing his bag across his body hastily.

Penny stood, bewildered by his behaviour. "Sheldon, it's okay –"

"Thank you for your assistance Penny, you have been most helpful." He said, opening her door and marching across to his apartment.

Penny stared after him, shaking her head. Reaching for her phone, she dialed Leonard's number.

"You will _not _believe what just happened…"

* * *

><p>After a sleepless night of tossing and turning, Sheldon rose the following morning intent on ignoring his primitive feelings. He dressed, ate and he and Leonard headed off to Caltech, just like every other morning.<p>

Walking into his cramped office, he immediately noticed that there was a certain Howard Wolowitz sitting at his desk, across from Raj, who was busily playing Pac Man on his laptop.

"Excuse me," he interrupted, "Howard – could you please evict yourself from my desk, this is very rude –"

Leonard followed in behind Sheldon, shutting the door and leaning against it. Sheldon narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his friends. "What's going on…?"

"Sheldon," Leonard started, arms out in front of him as a sort of peace offering, "Penny called me last night… she's a little concerned about you and your situation with Amy…"

Sheldon groaned; he never should have trusted Penny with his troubles. He didn't need any help; he was going to handle it on his own.

"Penny informed us that you have recently been experiencing some irregularly… carnal feelings toward Amy." Leonard continued, "She's concerned you don't know how to conduct yourself should a moment arise…"

"And being the sensual, handsome ladies man that I am, naturally Penny asked me to assist." Howard said, swinging his legs up onto Sheldon's desk arrogantly.

Sheldon pushed his legs off and glared at the group. "I do not need your assistance; Penny is wrong. I am in perfect control of my body and my basal human instincts. I am fine."

"Oh, come on dude, you see your girlfriend naked in a bubble bath for the first time and you're 'fine'?" Raj contributed, closing his laptop. "Tell us – was she hot?"

Sheldon shot him a cold glare. "That is none of your business – and stop thinking of my girlfriend naked in a bath!"

Raj shrugged and wiggled his eyebrows at Howard across the desk. "Sorry, can't help it…" He taunted, ducking to avoid Sheldon's karate chop.

Leonard ignored them both. "Sheldon, listen. There are certain things that you need to consider if you're going to start taking your relationship to a new level… like protection –"

Sheldon stormed over to him, a breath away. "I do not need your help. This conversation is moot; I will not be engaging in any sort of physical relations with anyone. Now all of you _out!_"

Leonard sighed and looked at his best friend, red faced and peeved. "Fine. Let the record show that I _tried _to assist you."

Howard got out of Sheldon's chair and followed Leonard out. "Do her, buddy, you'll feel much better for it."

Sheldon swatted his hand at Howard and pushed him out the door. He looked at Raj, still sitting at his desk. "You too."

"This is my office –"

"Out. _Now."_

With his three friends gone, Sheldon threw himself into his seat and put his head in his hands. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about her. It had been his intention to forget it had ever occurred, to go back to exactly how everything had been before. It just didn't seem to be that simple.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his laptop and began researching something that had not left his mind since speaking with Penny the night before…

* * *

><p>Amy pottered around her apartment that evening as she waited for Sheldon to arrive for their date. Since getting home from work, the biologist had checked her emails, tidied her apartment and gotten ready for their night out – anything to keep her mind off Sheldon. She had hardly heard from him in the last twenty-four hours; concerned for his well being she had text him earlier during the day, receiving a simple message in return letting her know he was fine and would see her at six.<p>

Biting her lip and wiping down the counter for a third time, Amy sighed. She wasn't sure what to think. In the late hours of the previous evening, Penny had sent her a text to say that Sheldon had visited and told her what had happened, adding 'he wants you bad' with a light-hearted wink on the end. Once again, Amy didn't know what to think.

Suddenly she heard the lock of her front door clunk and the door creaked open. Sheldon popped his head in and spotted her, giving her an awkward wave and shutting the door behind him. He stood there, uncomfortably. "This feels wrong. Are you sure I can't continue to knock?"

That was all it took to make Amy's face crack into a grin. "If you feel it necessary, sure, although given that you now have a key it would seem a little pointless."

Sheldon refrained and came to stand across from her at the kitchen bench. "How are you?"

Amy looked at him attentively, noticing unusually formal attire. He had teamed his '_The Flash' _t-shirt with a plain black blazer and a pair of his better dress pants; she wondered why. "Good, and you? You look quite fancy this evening…"

Sheldon shrugged off her comment, avoiding her gaze. "It's date night."

"Well, when did you want to head off?" She wrung out the dishcloth and stepped out from behind the counter. Sheldon finally looked at her, bottom to top, and his heart began to race. Once again, her hair was pulled back off her face in a ponytail, and she wore one of her plaid skirts with a plain white blouse tucked in neatly. He looked over her bare legs and forearms, and the way the skirt skimmed over her figure all the way to her waist; his heart began to beat even faster.

Amy noticed his gaze over her attire and she frowned. "Is this outfit suitable, Dr. Cooper?" She said teasingly, placing her hands on her hips.

Sheldon cleared his throat and headed for the door. "It's fine. Let's go."

Before long, the couple had arrived at a local Italian restaurant and taken their seats.

Amy smirked at her boyfriend from across the table. "This is impressive, Sheldon. I trust that you have dined here before and are familiar with the cuisine?"

Sheldon took a sip from his water. "Amy – you know I _never_ eat at restaurants if I haven't already done my research. The food here is quite satisfactory, and I felt the ambiance was suitable for our date night."

"Agreed." Amy said, placing her napkin across her lap. "Sheldon, there's a huge elephant in the room since our little incident and I really think we need to discuss it."

Sheldon sighed and shifted awkwardly; he had not wanted to discuss this. "I really don't think that's necessary –"

Amy brought up a hand to silence him. "I only have one question for you." She took a deep breath, nervous. This wasn't true; she had many questions, but feared that if she asked them he would close up. "Did you like what you saw?"

Sheldon stared at her blankly, completely unsure of how to respond. His hands became clammy and he opened his mouth to respond, then promptly closed it again when nothing came out. He still did not know what to make of his body's recent behaviour, and was eagerly attempting to suppress it as much as possible.

"I believe," He began quietly, slowly, "that my most basal instincts may have… appreciated your naked form…"

Amy's heart leapt from her chest and she struggled to contain her grin. She ducked her head in an attempt to capture his eyes, which were focused on his cutlery. "Appreciated…?"

He snapped his head up and scowled at her, "Amy…"

"Alright, alright." She said, taking a sip of her soft drink. "Fascinating…"

Their meals arrived shortly after, and Sheldon remained quiet, stunned by his own unexpected confession. He wanted to argue his point; blame it on human nature, but knew it was pointless. She'd seen him standing there, ogling her like a mindless ape.

After eating, and discussing their own fields of work, Sheldon sat back and exhaled anxiously. There was something he wanted to ask her; and still wasn't entirely sure he was up for it…

"Amy," He said, looking her in the eye, "I was wondering if you would accompany me on a trip this weekend."

Amy dabbed her mouth with her napkin and studied him curiously. "Like a business trip, or is there a comic book convention on that I am unaware of?"

Sheldon squirmed. "No, just a trip away."

His brunette girlfriend narrowed her eyes at him cautiously. "Sheldon, you don't like vacations of any sort –"

"It won't be a vacation, so to speak," he shrugged, "think of it as an educational trip to get out of Pasadena and do some sightseeing."

"Just the two of us?" Amy asked warily.

Sheldon nodded slowly, concerned by all of her questions. "What do you think?"

"Where were you proposing we go?" Amy countered, keen to know the details before making any commitment.

"That's a secret I cannot divulge." Sheldon said, a haughty look painted on his face.

Amy was shocked, a secret? "And sleeping arrangements…?"

"Separate beds, of course." Sheldon responded, as though it were a ridiculous question.

"Of course." Amy mused, "Alright then, yes, I will accompany you."

Sheldon perked up, smiling at her. "Wonderful! I propose we travel by train – naturally, that is by far the best option. Saturday morning?"

"Sounds good." She said, smirking. "You know, Sheldon, this could be a perfect opportunity for you to finally make second base."

Sheldon's eyes shot up at her with a glare and she wiggled her eyebrows back at him playfully. Unable to control himself, he rewarded her comment with a tiny smile in return.

The couple finished up and headed back to Sheldon's apartment, yapping all the way about Sheldon's advancements in string theory, and his frustrations with lacing his own office space.

As they ascended the stairs and opened the door to Sheldon's apartment, the high-pitched squeal of a child rang out from Penny's apartment across the hall.

Sheldon winced. "Good Lord, what is that wretched noise?"

Suddenly Leonard burst out of Penny's apartment and marched straight by them into his own. "You're on your own with this one, Penny!"

Amy peered across into the other apartment, where her blonde bestie was busily bouncing a young toddler on her hip, face flushed and looking particularly distressed.

Sheldon noticed too and spun around to face Leonard. "Do not tell me that you and Penny have gone off and adopted a child from a foreign country without consulting me first – I realize that's all the rage in Hollywood right now but our Roommate Agreement clearly states –"

"We didn't adopt anyone, Sheldon," Leonard snapped, flopping onto the couch and placing a hand to his head, "Penny offered to babysit for a friend of hers and she's _clearly not known what she was in for!_" He said loudly, closing his eyes in frustration.

"I can handle it, Leonard!" Penny yelled from across the hall, irritated by the lack of support on Leonard's part.

"Oh, yeah, certainly looks like it too." Leonard mumbled.

Amy, still standing at the front door, looked from the flustered Penny to Leonard and then to Sheldon, who was lecturing Leonard on the many health risks of bringing an unknown child into his presence. Sighing, she headed across the hall to assist her friend.

"Hey, bestie!" Amy said loudly, through the screaming of the toddler. "Need some help?"

Penny looked at her, wide-eyed, a bottle in one hand and struggling child in the other. "Pour me a drink, please…"

Amy shook her head and wandered over to her. "I think we may have found your very first and possibly only flaw, bestie. What's the little one's name?"

Penny switched the crying toddler to the other hip. "Emma. I'm usually great with kids, I just can't get her to stop crying," She threw her head back dramatically, "remind me to never have kids…"

Amy took a good look at the fair-haired child, face red and streaked with tears. She placed a hand to the child's forehead and frowned. "Penny, she has a fever."

Penny groaned. "What should I do?"

Amy said nothing; instead she took the child from her and held her close to her chest. Instantly, she quietened, howling screams reducing to a choked sob. "Get me a thermometer and a tepid sponge."

Penny nodded, surprised, and rushed off to collect the items she had requested. Behind them, Sheldon had come to inspect the situation, concerned that it was going to disrupt the remainder of his evening. "Excuse me, Penny – if that child is intending on continuing to scream for the rest of the night, you can –"

Amy swung around, child huddled to her chest, and glared at him, hushing him. Sheldon tilted his head to the side; this was certainly a rare image.

"Here," Penny said, handing Amy the cloth. She took it from her, brushed the fine hair back from the toddler's face and began dabbing her forehead.

"Penny, can you put the thermometer underneath Emma's armpit for me?" Amy asked quietly, swaying her body to relax the child. Penny nodded and left the thermometer there until it beeped.

"Ninety nine point one," Penny read out, placing it back onto the counter. "Does she need to see a doctor?"

Amy shook her head. "I don't think so. I think she's gotten herself very worked up."

Sheldon had edged into the apartment and was watching fixedly; it was a side of Amy he had never, ever seen. Something about it made him feel… oddly calm.

"Shhh…" Amy soothed, and the child cuddled closer into her neck. "Where's her cot?"

Penny pointed into her bedroom and Amy headed over, leaving a stunned Sheldon and Penny in the living area.

"Well, that was… interesting." Penny said, throwing herself into the loveseat.

Sheldon craned his neck to look into Penny's bedroom, however was only able to see Amy's back. "Yes." He agreed absently.

Sensing his lack of awareness, Penny looked over at him. "She's going to make a good momma one day…" She lead, intrigued to see his reaction.

He snapped out of his stare and made a face at her. Before he could speak, Amy walked back out, closing the bedroom door behind her.

"She's asleep." She announced, taking a seat on Penny's couch. "Just keep an eye on her, I think she'll be fine."

Penny stared at her, perplexed. "Amy – how did you know how to do that? I thought you were an only child?"

Amy shrugged. "I am, and I don't know, just did." She looked over at Sheldon, who was staring at her as well, with a complex expression on his face. She shook her head in wonder and looked back to Penny. "Like I said, keep an eye on her."

"Sure, thank you." Penny said, reaching for a glass of wine. "You're a natural."

Amy blew off the comment, standing to leave. "I don't know about that bestie, I suppose with this pelvis anything's possible." She joked, and clicked her fingers in front of Sheldon's face. "Yo, Cuddles, let's go."

Sheldon suddenly snapped back to reality. "Alright."

As he walked back across to his apartment, he couldn't help but feel bewildered. Something within in him was changing; was making him feel… different. He was surprised by Amy's knack with children, but more than that, he was happy.

Something felt _right…_


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay! Chapter fourteen! I think this is the biggest one yet! I had a lot of fun writing this one; it is definitely the beginning of something new for our favourite couple. I considered altering the rating for this chapter, although didn't end up doing it – please let me know if you believe it should be changed. The rating will definitely be going up soon. Please read, enjoy and review.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Amy – I highly doubt that 'ololiuqui' is a word in the English language; I've been playing Scrabble since before even you were born and have never heard as much of an utterance of it." Sheldon argued, pushing his iPad back across the small table and pouting.

Amy smirked and sighed, taking the game and looking for her next move. "I can assure you that it is. 'Ololiuqui' is a woody vine found in Central America, and it is said that the seeds are a hallucinogenic used in some Indian rituals. And what, you've been playing Scrabble since age two?"

Sheldon folded his arms across his chest and huffed. "Yes, in fact, I have – and not the junior edition either. My mother had an old Scrabble board stored away in a high cupboard, and apparently I wanted to play, so I designed an intricate ladder system using a nearby chest of drawers; pulling out each drawer a little further than the next so to create a step-like structure." He paused, recalling the event. "All went well until I climbed half way up and the entire thing fell on top of me."

Amy made a face at him and handed back the iPad. "Sounds like you deserved it. Did you not consider the lack of stability given the asymmetrical nature of the structure?"

"I was two years old, Amy!" Sheldon disputed, "And yes, I did, but evidently my calculations were inaccurate."

She smiled and shook her head, then stretched her arms out in front of her lazily. They had been on the train for over nine hours, having left California in the wee hours of the morning, and she felt restless. "Sheldon, I had no idea we would be traveling this far – why didn't we just go by plane, it would have been much faster?"

Sheldon put his iPad back in his bag and frowned at her. "Have a little faith in America's rail service! If we had traveled by plane we would not have seen this wondrous scenery, nor would we have been able to stimulate our minds for such a lengthy period of time prior to our arrival."

Amy raised her eyebrows at him and looked out the window at the vast expanse of dry, dusty earth they had been viewing for the past six hours. "Yes, what lovely scenery…"

"Make fun all you want, this is a safe, efficient method of travel that will have us there in comfort and style." Sheldon said. "Besides, we're not far away now."

Amy smiled; Sheldon's love for trains was endearing, although often tiresome. He had kept the tickets carefully hidden from her, and made sure that she did not know where they were going, however she had a hunch.

The afternoon went on slowly, the pair getting lunch and playing round after round of Counterfactuals. Gradually the scenery out of their window began to change, the flat, dry land beginning to undulate and become greener. They passed by a huge expanse of white salt flats, shining brightly from the sun's reflection. Amy was now positive of their destination and could barely contain her grin. Before long, the train had arrived at the unfamiliar station.

Sheldon jumped up and started collecting their bags. "We have arrived!"

As they stepped off the train and onto the platform, Amy spotted the welcome sign and began to laugh. "Salt Lake City! Oh, Sheldon," She turned to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "this is just wonderful!"

Blushing, he pushed past the crowd of people, baggage in hand. "I know."

After flagging down multiple taxis with the intent to discover which was cleanest, and finally settling on one as Amy was getting impatient, the couple arrived at a nearby hotel. It was tall and grand; most certainly not a cheap option. Sheldon checked in as Amy waited with their bags, and then they headed up to their room.

Swiping the keycard in the door, Amy pushed the door open and looked around in awe; the room was huge. It featured two queen sized beds against a crimson feature wall with high ceilings, complete with a small lounge area overlooking the glimmering lights of the city and the snow-peaked mountains. Dumping her bags onto one of the beds, she walked across to observe the view; speechless.

Sheldon was moving about uneasily behind her, bags still in his hands. "They did say there would be sufficient luggage space – perhaps in this cupboard – ooo…"

Amy turned back to him and grinned. "Sheldon, this is _amazing_! You really didn't have to go to all of this trouble – please let me give you some money for part of the trip…"

Sheldon popped his head out from inside the walk-in robe and shook his head adamantly. "No – our Relationship Agreement may now only feature the bare essentials but in this instance I am calling upon our prior arrangement; 'the 'boyfriend' will pay for all relationship related expenses'."

Amy shook her head and smiled as he began to fossick around once again, placing all of his belongings with care and precision. She took a seat in the padded bay window and reached for the hotel's menu.

Sheldon reappeared and took a seat on the couch across from her. He looked at his watch. "Well, given that it is now almost seven o'clock, we should probably look at getting some dinner and some sleep for a big day of sightseeing tomorrow!"

Amy nodded in agreeance, flipping back to the room service section of the menu. "Hmm… we could have pasta… or fish and chips… ooo they have fajitas!"

"No." Sheldon said immediately, "I dislike foods that require assembly."

Amy rolled her eyes and glared at him playfully. "You know what? That is _exactl_y what we're having." She reached for the phone, Sheldon missing it by inches, and dialed room service. "Hello, is this room service? Yes, I would like to order two servings of fajitas – ah, Sheldon!"

Watching her unimpressed boyfriend as he reached for the disconnect button, she grabbed the entire handset and ran across the room with it, laughing as he tried to grab the cord to disconnect the call.

" - And I'll have two Margaritas as well, all to room 1156, thank you –"

Clambering over the bed with the phone in hand, breathless with laughter, Sheldon finally managed to pull the cord out of its socket. He glared at her, lips pursed in a fine line, struggling not to laugh.

Amy screwed up her nose at him as he snatched the phone and handset back from him. "Too late, it's already ordered."

"That was childish, Amy Farrah Fowler." He said, reconnecting the phone and turning toward her.

She shifted off the bed and waltzed past him, brushing her shoulder against his. "And?"

"And now I have to have fajitas!" Sheldon cried, flopping back onto the couch.

Resuming her spot in the window, Amy pushed out her bottom lip and filled her eyes with mock pity. "Poor Shelly!"

He glared at her again, and reached for the remote, flicking the flat screen television on. "You're mean."

Within twenty minutes, their meals had arrived, and Amy flew over to the door to collect them and tip the waiter. Sheldon was still pouting on the couch, flicking through the channels half-heartedly. Amy blocked his view, laying out their food, and Sheldon huffed at her.

"Come on," Amy demanded, sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table, "I'll show you how it's done."

Reluctantly, Sheldon slipped off the couch and onto the floor, looking over the dinner in question. She had laid out a plate full of tortillas, with another hot plate of condiments on the side. He huffed again, unimpressed by the idea of putting together his meal. "Quite frankly, I don't see the point in this – why couldn't the chef have just put it together for me –"

Amy shot him a cold stare and he cowered back, copying her and reaching for a tortilla. She had already loaded hers full of condiments, and was proceeding to wrap it neatly. Taking a bite, she raised an eyebrow at him as he tentatively reached for a spoon to start adding to his creation.

She laughed and covered her mouth as she swallowed. "You really aren't very good at this are you? Just pick it up and throw it on!"

He looked at her like she had two heads. "Just throw it on? Amy, I think you'll find that the structural integrity of the completed fajita would be comprised should I 'just throw it on' – hey!"

Amy grabbed his hand, complete with spoon, dipped it into the guacamole and plopped it onto the wrap. She gave him a look. "You can do it, I have faith in you."

He growled at her and began adding the toppings. Finally, he reached to wrap it up and pulled his hands away. "I have to go wash up again, you touched my hands."

Amy sighed at him tugged him down as he stood. "No, you don't." She looked him directly in the eye, keen to get the message through. "I washed up before too, just like you, and I am now eating with my hands. It's okay, trust me."

He looked around and shuffled uncomfortably, settling back into his spot. Wrapping the fajita, he took a bite. "Huh," he said through a full mouth, "not bad."

Amy beamed at him. "I told you."

Finishing his mouthful, he continued. "Yours is much neater than mine; you make the next one."

She looked at him, surprised. "You want me to touch your food?"

He nodded, sheepishly. "I trust you."

Amy gave a tiny smiled and nodded at him proudly. She made his next wrap, which he happily ate, leaning back against the couch. They finished eating and she watched him intently. He seemed… relaxed.

"Oh," Amy said suddenly, hopping up to get something, "here."

She passed him a slightly frozen drink in a wide glass, and he took it, observing a crystallized substance around the rim. "What is it?"

She took a sip and blinked a few times, surprised by the strength of the tequila. "It's a Margarita."

"Oh," Sheldon said, nodding, "the popular Mexican alcoholic beverage – not to be confused with an Italian Margarita pizza. But Amy, you know I don't tend to drink?"

She shrugged and sat beside him, leaning against the base of the couch. "You just had fajitas; surely you can try a Margarita too?"

He eyed the drink carefully, sliding the lime wedge around the top of the glass. Gingerly, he brought the liquid up to his lips, taking the tiniest sip in existence. Instantly he stuck his tongue out in procrastination. "Is that _salt?_"

Amy started laughing, half way through hers already. "Yep."

Sheldon glared at her. "You could have told me!"

"Nah, more fun to watch you try."

Sheldon took another sip and made a face. "It's okay, I guess. Kind of lemony."

Amy put the glass down and turned to face him. "I'm really proud of you, you know."

Sheldon felt his face heat up and he turned his head toward her, only inches away. "Thank you?"

She smiled back at him, a warm, happy smile. Past her black rimmed glasses, he looked at her eyes, which were bright green; a colour which never failed to amaze him. His heart started to race again and he could feel himself drawing nearer to her, instinctively leaning his head toward hers…

Remembering himself suddenly, he inhaled sharply and leapt up off the floor, clearing the plates away and avoiding Amy's gaze.

"Sheldon, what's wrong…?" She queried, pushing herself onto the couch.

"Nothing at all!" He responded, in an uncharacteristically high voice. Clearing his throat, he continued. "We should really get to bed; got a big day ahead of us tomorrow!"

Amy bit her lip and nodded, making her way across to the bathroom to change into her pajamas. Once she returned, she found Sheldon, tucked into bed with his eye mask across his forehead. Climbing into the other bed not even a meter from him, she spotted him peering at her pajama shorts and down her legs.

"Saw that," she teased, turning onto her side to face him and placing her glasses on the night stand. Even though her vision was now blurred, she could see him blush and he smirk ever so slightly.

"You saw nothing."

* * *

><p>It was late in the afternoon on the following day, and Amy and Sheldon were near to exhausted. After rising early – thanks to an overly excited Sheldon – the couple had gone for breakfast in the hotel restaurant, then moved on to a multitude of historical museums, buildings and the local train store, as planned out on Sheldon's schedule. Their last stop for the day was Temple Square.<p>

"Wow," Amy breathed, taking in the fantastic sight, "this is quite spectacular."

Sheldon wasn't looking at the building, rather he was reading a plaque on a nearby monument. "Hmm? Oh yes, lovely."

Amy laughed and resumed admiring the temple. The sun was beginning to set, and the pink, warm light reflected off the shimmering pearly walls, casting a glow across the courtyard. She pulled her cardigan around her closely; it was cooling off as night set in. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and felt the last moments of warmth on her skin before the sun disappeared.

"What are you doing, Amy?" Sheldon interrupted, standing in front of her.

Amy squinted up at him. "I _was _relaxing and taking in the moment, until someone ruined it."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "You're certainly not going to learn anything doing that. Come on, over here, and read this plaque. It's remarkable, all about the –"

Amy allowed Sheldon's voice to disappear as he waffled on and she reflected on her day with him. It had been wonderful. As always, he was near to the perfect gentleman, and provided such an intriguing insight into everything they viewed. Though others didn't, she found his sense of humour so fun, and loved the intellectual challenge he provided her with. She wondered whether he intended to kiss her where she'd never been kissed before…

"Amy? Amy? Are you even listening to me?" Sheldon demanded, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Yes, yes," She said, smiling at him. A cool breeze kicked up and she shivered, sniffling as her nose grew chilly.

"Are you cold?" Sheldon asked, and she nodded. "We should go back to the hotel."

Hailing down a cab – which he didn't insist on inspecting this time – Sheldon got them back to their hotel within no time. Once in the room, Amy untangled her scarf from her neck and folded it away neatly, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

Sheldon turned to look at her, huddled on the bed, cheeks and nose flushed pink from the cool breeze. His heart started carrying on again and he began feeling ill. "Uh… I propose that we head on down to a nice restaurant for dinner… maybe go for a walk…"

"Sounds great, I'm starving." Amy replied, "Any sort of dress code for dinner?"

Sheldon shrugged. "I don't believe it matters."

Amy bustled off to get ready, taking over the bathroom while Sheldon watched a documentary on the history of Salt Lake City. In the bathroom, Amy hastily showered and attempted to make herself look nice, though struggled without Penny's assistance. Finally, she pulled the her mustard skater dress over her head, then groaned when she realized she couldn't pull the zipper all the way up on her own.

Marching out of the bathroom, she came and stood in front of the television. "Sheldon, can you zip me up?"

Sheldon, who had been busily minding his own business, was caught completely by surprise. His breath hitched and he bit his lip; it was that same dress from their failed date. This time though, he understood the feeling in the pit of his stomach and knew not to make the same mistake twice. "Alright."

She turned her back to him and his heart thumped harder, the small expanse of her milky skin exposed, along with the black band of her bra. He suppressed the urge to close his eyes and muttered: "Lord…"

Amy looked over her shoulder and frowned. "Sorry?"

"Oh, nothing." He grabbed the zip and gently drew it upwards, passing over the lace of her bra and stopping at the top of her spine. As he released the zip, his fingers brushed her neck and he noticed how soft her skin was; not like anything he'd ever felt before. Sheldon pulled his hands down to his side and cleared his throat, looking around the room for something, _anything _that would distract him.

Amy turned back to him and picked up her black coat off the back of the armchair. "Thanks."

"Not a problem," he said, looking her over properly, like he knew a boyfriend should. Taking a deep breath, he spoke again. "You look lovely."

Amy's eyes widened. "You really think so?"

Sheldon gave her a small nod and her face cracked into a wide grin. He loved that smile. "Thank you, Sheldon!"

"You're welcome," he grabbed their keycard and headed for the door, "we should go."

He held the door for her as she slipped past him, and he couldn't help but look curiously over the curve of her hips and the black tights that clung to her legs. She was a fascinating creature, indeed.

The pair wandered along the main strip near their hotel in search of a worthy restaurant to dine at, finally settling on a small bar just a few doors down. A band was playing, and the bar was noisy and slightly overcrowded – much to Sheldon's dislike.

"It's so loud in here; how do they expect anyone to have a intelligible conversation during meal times?" Sheldon said loudly, pushing his empty plate across the table and leaning in to speak to her. "Should we go?"

Amy shrugged and stood up. "Let's have another drink and we'll go. What would you like?"

"Virgin Cuba Libre, please."

"Cuba Libre coming right up." Amy teased, sashaying over toward the bar to order the drinks. Sheldon watched as she leant against the bar, waiting for a bartender to assist her. A tall, fair-haired man came up to stand next to her, flashing her a white smile and leaning in to chat. Sheldon felt his blood begin to boil. Not again.

Over at the bar, the muscular man looked Amy over. "Hey,"

Amy gave him a tight-lipped smile and looked around for a bartender. "Hi."

"You here alone?" He asked, deep voice purring with the effects of alcohol.

Suddenly, there was a hand around her waist and Amy flinched. It was Sheldon. "How are those drinks coming along?" He asked, giving her a small smile and eying off the blonde male across from her.

Amy struggled for words, distracted by the heat radiating from Sheldon's arm around her waist. "Good?" She managed, trying to figure out Sheldon's motives.

Her admirer huffed and straightened up, turning to walk away. "Too bad…"

Sheldon exhaled loudly, gently drawing her in closer to speak to her. "Forget about the drinks, let's go."

He released his grip on her waist and led the way out of the bar. Amy caught up with him, confused by the entire scenario. "Sheldon, wait – what was that about?"

Sheldon stopped and turned to her, zipping up his favourite bomber jacket. "That man was attempting to come on to you, I was simply protecting what is mine…"

Amy raised her eyebrows at him. "Is that so? I think that I probably could have handled it on my own…"

"Regardless, I did what I had to do." Sheldon said confidently, defending his actions.

"Well, I hope that the only time that you intend to touch me isn't just when you feel your 'territory' is threatened." Amy retorted, both intrigued and frustrated by the conversation.

Sheldon gaped at her for a moment, contemplating his response. "With an attitude like that, you'll never know."

Amy smirked at him and continued toward their hotel, a few paces ahead of him. They ascended the stairs to the lobby, and caught the elevator to their floor, bickering and chuckling about the silliest of things.

" – I told Leonard, clearly the constant variable within his equation was offsetting the controlled variable, but he just thinks he knows best…" Sheldon chattered, swiping the keycard and opening the door.

Amy followed him in, yawning and stretching her arms above her head. It had been a busy day, and she – for one – was ready for sleep. Sheldon took a seat in the bay window, leaning back against the cushions and looking out over the city lights.

Amy grabbed her pajamas in readiness to head to the bathroom to change, and then remembered her zipper. She walked over to the bay window and turned her back to him again, moving her hair away from her neck. "Sheldon, could you grab the zipper for me again?"

Sheldon almost groaned in frustration; this zipper had caused him enough grief for one day. He stood, took the zip between his fingers and looked over at an abstract painting on the wall as he pulled it down. Before he could stop himself, his gaze landed on her once again exposed skin, and that darn black bra strap he had noticed earlier. Something came over him, his heart fluttered, and he boldly let go of the zipper and let his hand trail all the way up her spine and across her right shoulder, causing her to shiver. A light dusting of freckles adorned the tip of her shoulder and he gently pushed the yellow coloured fabric off the edge, curious to see if there were more underneath. She rotated her body slightly toward him, a question written all over her face.

In the next breath, he leant his head down to hers and kissed her.

It was soft and light and sweet, and removed every last whisper of oxygen from their lungs. Amy clutched at her dress, frozen with shock. He brought a hand up to caress her face, deepening the kiss; pressing his lips firmly against hers, moving with her. She melted and gave in, her eyes fluttering shut in a moment of ecstasy. His touch was gentle, begging for trust, begging to know her, to understand her. Finally, he pulled away a fraction for air, and their eyes met; both full of a desire they had never known. Sheldon moved his hand around to her neck and pulled her back in, lips crashing together with a new sense of urgency.

Gently, Amy pushed a hand against his chest and he fell back onto the cushions of the bay window, taking her with him. She fell on top of him roughly, her body between his legs. Sheldon continued to kiss her, brushing his tongue with hers, moaning quietly at the foreign contact. She ran a hand along his torso, and instinctively ground herself against him softly, feeling his response quite evidently beneath her. He gasped and drew a slender hand along her hip, across the curve of her waist, arriving just beneath her breast. Following nothing but his instincts, he let the shape of his palm cup her breast and he gave it a gentle squeeze. Instantly, the war that had been raging within him won; he was losing control…

He broke away from her, pushing her gently away from him. "Amy, I can't…" He began shakily, as she pulled her dress back onto her shoulder and knelt beside him. "I can't…"

Sheldon put his head in his hands and fought the burn in his throat, the tears that were threatening to fall. Amy knew, immediately, that this was too much. "I'm sorry…" She whispered, unsure of how to comfort him.

"No," he choked, "no…"

Amy felt sick. She hadn't meant to upset him. "Sheldon, please, tell me what you're feeling…"

He brushed a hand across his eyes and through his hair, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine…"

"Sheldon," Amy began sternly, "if we're going to be together you've got to start sharing this with me."

He pursed his lips and closed his eyes, struggling. "Amy, I have lived my entire existence believing that I had no need, no desire, for physical human interaction; for _this_." He paused, gathering himself. "I had thought I was superior; that I didn't require intimacy, that I wouldn't enjoy sexual encounters – that I was a _Homo Novus_. Until I met you,"

Steadying himself, he continued. "I never saw a healthy man-to-woman relationship in my home. My father was a drunk, he treated my mother like trash, and they fought constantly. I never quite understood how to do this; how to let someone in." He paused again, blinking back tears. "I want _everything _with you, Amy, I just don't know how."

Amy swallowed the lump in her throat and remained strong for him. She placed an arm around his shoulder and drew him nearer to her, patting him on the shoulder. "I know."

He chuckled suddenly and dabbed at his eye with a sleeve. "This is ridiculous – look at me…"

"No," Amy said, pulling him up off the bay window seat, "don't. Come on, let's get you to bed."

She led him over to the bathroom to change, never letting go of his hand. While he was changing, she threw on her pajamas and curled up in the blankets of her own bed, feeling a complex mixture of emotions she couldn't begin to explain.

Suddenly, she felt the covers on the other side of her bed rise as Sheldon slid in beside her. Turning to him, she smiled, and he smiled back, and she gave him a tiny peck on the lips. Breathless, he looked at her in wonderment.

This is where he belonged…


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, chapter fifteen is here! My apologies for the late update, I've had a bit of writers block combined with being unwell, so it's just been a bit slow. This chapter is once again a bit of what I would call a 'filler' chapter; just trying to work on some more character development and set up for new, exciting future plots. I've also included a little L/P in this one, felt they needed some time in the spotlight – it can't all be about S/A! Please read and review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Sheldon stirred gently as he felt the warm heat of sunlight tickling his back, groaning softly and stretching out his arms. His fingers brushed against something soft, something external to his own body, and he slowly opened his eyes to examine the source.

Across from him, only inches away, was Amy, huddled into the white sheets with her hair splayed across her pillow and twined in Sheldon's fingers. The sight of her peaceful sleeping form, so close to him, made his heart race, and he gently extracted his hand from the lock of hair. She was fast asleep, and it was the first time Sheldon could really _look _at her without repercussions.

Tentatively, he reached out a hand and swept a stray strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it gently behind her ear. The sun was beaming through the crack in the curtains, reflecting off her skin and accentuating every contour of her face. He had never noticed how long her eyelashes were, or how red her lips appeared. Trailing his fingers down along her cheek and across her neck, his gaze fell to her décolletage, exposed in her round-necked pajamas. Bravely, he dragged his fingers even lower, reaching the edge of her top's neckline and outlining her collarbone.

It was the strangest sensation; the way Amy made him feel. Warm, happy, at home. The sort of things his mother would make him feel, with an edge of unfamiliar desire. He recalled the events of the night prior, almost in slow motion, as though he had never witnessed them before. He had _kissed _her. All on his own. Their lips had touched, fiercely, and he had met his tongue with hers, without a hint of disgust. He had _touched _her, and he hadn't wanted to stop.

But it had.

Frowning, he rolled onto his back and stared intently at the off-white ceiling. _He _had stopped it - afraid, anxious, uncertain. Despite everything that Amy made him feel, he was still frightened that it would just be too much. He thought back to her face, strained with sadness and disappointment as he had pushed her away, tainted by the knowledge of his past. He had made a mistake.

Gently, he pushed the covers back and dressed quietly, and then headed out the door to arrange breakfast. He would have to make this right…

Not long after Sheldon left, Amy awoke from her slumber, running her hand along the warm sheets where he had last been. Opening her eyes and finding that he was gone, Amy sighed. A note sat on the pillow beside her, in Sheldon's familiar handwriting.

_Amy,_

_I have gone to arrange breakfast, will be back soon._

_Sheldon_

Amy smiled coyly, running her fingers across the outline of his name on the thin paper. The faintest scent of his cologne clung to the linen, a smell that she knew so well now, and she giggled to herself, recalling their encounter the night before. The feeling of his soft lips on hers… his hand caressing her breast…

Shaking off the creeping feeling of arousal, Amy headed for the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she pulled off her pajamas and stepped under the hot, steamy water of the shower. Perhaps some time alone to herself would be convenient…

A familiar succession of knocks sounded at the bathroom door and she groaned in annoyance. _No such thing…_

Through the gushing sound of the water, Amy heard Sheldon say something muffled. "What? Sheldon, I can't hear you!"

More muffled words came through the heavy door and she sighed. "Just come in!" She smiled, adding: "You know you want to!"

A few moments passed before the door slowly cracked open, only very slightly. Steam filled the room, and Amy glanced over her shoulder to check if Sheldon was looking. His eyes were fixed on the tiled floor.

"I was just saying that you had best make your shower a quick one as the food is here." Sheldon said, desperately trying to find something captivating about the grout.

"I won't be long, Sheldon!" She called, rinsing the shampoo from her hair. The soapy water hit the shower base with a crack, and as he pulled the door shut, Sheldon glanced at her; eyes travelling up her slender legs, along her bare thighs and arriving at her round –

Sheldon slammed the door shut, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. "Dear Lord…"

Taking a deep breath, he strode over to the food he had bought and set it out neatly on their small table. He had wandered down to a nearby café and purchased bacon and eggs to go, hoping that Amy would enjoy a cooked meal. Sitting down, he closed his eyes and exhaled, attempting to erase the image of Amy's naked behind from his mind. "Damn eidetic memory…"

Amy strolled out of the bathroom, tugging her wet hair down from the towel it had been wrapped up in and squeezing out the moisture. Her cheeks were flushed pink and she wore nothing but a purple robe, which looked oddly familiar to Sheldon…

She smiled and took a seat across from him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," he responded, eyeing the frilled edge of her robe, "is that Penny's robe?"

At the mention of her best friend's name, Amy's face lit up. "It is! She leant it to me for the trip… it smells just like her, wanna smell it?"

Sheldon scrunched up his nose and shook his head. "No, thank you." He pushed the glass of juice toward her. "Please, start."

Amy ignored the juice and shoveled a rasher of bacon onto her fork. "Thank you for organizing the breakfast, it's great." She swallowed her food and continued. "So… did the hero peek?"

For a split second, Sheldon was unsure of what she was referring to, and then recalled their recent conversation regarding a certain naked blonde. He contemplated his response, hating to tell a lie. "Of course."

Amy raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. "Really? And?"

Sheldon paused, again considering his answer. "And I can now confidently and conclusively inform you that based upon what I _did_ see your form is far more aesthetically pleasing than that of Penny's."

Amy blinked at him, stunned by the verdict. "You're joking."

Sheldon gave her a look and sipped his juice. "Did you hear a 'bazinga'?

"But… Penny –"

"Is not – apparently – the kind of woman I find appealing." Sheldon finished, silencing her.

Amy was flabbergasted. What an incredible confession from none other than Shelon Cooper. Smiling, she teased him "It's this dang pelvis…"

The pair ate in silence for a while, until suddenly Sheldon felt uncomfortable. He had to discuss the events of he night prior, whether he like it or not. Pushing the scrambled egg across his plate with his fork, he began. "Amy, I need to speak with you about something."

Gulping down her last sip of orange juice, Amy frowned and crossed her arms in front of her. "Proceed…"

He took a long breath in and held it, carefully selecting his words. "I wanted to discuss the situation that took place yesterday evening, and in turn how it will affect our current Relationship Agreement."

Amy bit the inside of her lip anxiously; she had been both desperately awaiting and dreading this conversation all morning. "Alright…"

Sheldon shuffled his weight across to his opposing hip, in an effort to get comfortable, to no avail. "As per the new, broad parameters of our agreement, it is my responsibility to involve you in an open debate regarding the event, with the intent to come to a suitable outcome." He cleared his throat tensely. "Firstly, I would like to apologise for my unacceptable and – quite frankly - animalistic behaviour; it was completely –"

"I'm not," Amy interjected, leaning forward and resting her arms on the table.

Sheldon tilted his head to the side, confused. "Not what?"

"Not sorry." She said, looking him in the eye. "And I know that deep inside you're not either."

The physicist pursed his lips. "As I was saying – I would like to express my sincerest apologies –"

Amy pushed out her chair roughly and gathered their plates, taking them across to the tiny kitchenette and placing them back on the tray. She pulled out a cup and threw in a tea bag, leaving Sheldon to sit with her back to him, utterly baffled.

"Amy, what –"

She rounded on him, spilling the milk she had been pouring over the edge of the cup and all over the floor. "Don't do this, Sheldon! Don't go pretending like last night was a mistake, like it was caused by some stupid 'human force' you just couldn't control!" She paused, trying to get a grasp on her anger. "I _know _you, Sheldon, sometimes better than you know yourself, so don't you _dare _try to tell me that it was a mistake and that you didn't want it too."

Sheldon sat in silence, stunned by her outburst. "Amy, you know I'm trying –"

The aggravation rose in her again and she slammed her hand down on the top of the bar fridge. "No, you're _not _trying. This is not trying! What you did last night – what _we _did – _that _was trying. Admitting that you find my body appealing – _that _was trying. Right now you are taking one huge step backwards." Her voice broke and she closed her eyes, whispering. "You had just opened up to me, don't do this now."

Closing his eyes, he ran a hand over his face, fighting against his emotions. He stood and walked over to face her. "Amy, I just can't handle this. I don't know where to go from here… there is no excuse, no justification for my actions - not this time. It's a change, a permanent one, and I just don't know what to do…" He trailed off, biting his lip.

Amy stared down at her teacup, tears welling in her eyes. She just wanted him to see that being intimate would never make him any less of what he already was, and that he had no reason to be afraid. They were learning, together.

A tear escaped, and she dabbed at it quickly with her sleeve, avoiding his eyes. Sheldon closed his eyes in frustration; he hated seeing her cry. "Amy…" He whispered, tentatively taking her hand and lacing their fingers together, "I think you're right… I did want it, too."

Amy looked up at him, once again surprised. Softly, he continued, trying his earlier statement again. "As per the guidelines of our recently revised Relationship Agreement, I would like to address the physical events that took place last night." He paused, taking a breath. "I propose that we mutually accept the incident as a further step in our relationship, and continue on as we see fit."

Smiling at his courageous words, Amy gave him a small nod. "Proposal accepted."

Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief, stunned by his own valiant compromise. Releasing her hand, he turned back toward their tiny dining table. "Well, I'm most certainly glad that is sorted. We'd best get packing, our train departs in exactly three –"

Suddenly there were arms around his neck and a mess of wet brown hair under his chin. He stiffened, taken back by the unexpected physical contact, and then gently wrapped his arms around Amy's waist. Breath seemingly stuck in his chest, he shivered as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"Thank you." She whispered, letting go of him and walking back to their unfinished breakfast. Over her shoulder, she spoke again. "Oh and Sheldon?"

Still frozen on the spot, Sheldon looked back at her. "Yes?"

She smirked. "You still haven't kissed me where I've never been kissed before."

"Yes you have, I – oh!" Sheldon stopped and his jaw dropped, finally comprehending Amy's words. It was going to be a long train ride home…

* * *

><p>Hours later, and miles away, a blonde waitress was tangled in the brightly coloured sheets of her bed, head rested on the chest of her breathless asthmatic boyfriend. Grinning goofily, the scientist drew her warm body closer to his, sighing contentedly.<p>

Penny glanced up at his smiling face and skewed glasses, and propped herself up onto her elbows beside him. "Well, that was –"

"Awesome…" Leonard finished dreamily, turning to face her. He drew in a breath and wheezed. "Do you still have that spare inhaler?"

Penny leant across to her nightstand and handed him the small inhaler. Squeezing the trigger, he took a short breath and held it, closing his eyes. Penny smiled and ran a hand through his curly hair. "Wonder if our kids will get your asthma… and your curls…"

Leonard choked on the breath he was holding and coughed violently. "What? Kids?" He stammered, taking another breath from the inhaler.

Rolling her eyes, she chuckled at him. "I suppose… assuming this continues down the path it's heading…"

He stared at her, lost for words. "Did you drink before I came over?"

"No!" She sighed, resting her head on the palm of her hand. "I'm sorry – does this bother you?"

Leonard tilted his head from side to side in uncertainty. "Well… you talk about getting married in the stairwell the other day… now you're talking about kids… suppose I'm just a little confused, that's all."

Penny shrugged, and started picking at a thread on her covers. Leonard searched for her gaze. "Plus, I thought we decided to take things slow…"

Her eyes snapped up to his and backtracked. "Oh, yeah, of course. I was just…" She thought hard for a suitable word; one that he would approve of, "hypothesizing."

Leonard slowly nodded his head, sure there was more to it. "Alright, if you say so. Well, while we're on it, I would hope that our offspring look nothing like their father, and are the spitting image of their gorgeous, kind, wonderful mother. They could, perhaps, inherit a little of my intelligence… but that's not really necessary…"

Penny smiled at him, flattered by his words. "Naw, but I love your curls…" She teased, sliding closed to him and wrapping a ringlet around her finger.

He grinned back, playing her game. "Well, maybe they can have the curls too…"

Laughing, she sighed and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I've missed this."

"Me too." He agreed, running a hand across her cheek. A small vibrating noise came from Penny's nightstand, and she reached for her phone. Silent for a moment, her eyes suddenly widened.

"Oh, my God," She said, flicking her thumb down the screen and reading quickly. "Sheldon kissed Amy!"

Leonard screwed up his nose and shook his head. "No…?"

"Yes!" She squealed, typing a response to Amy's text. They had arrived back from Salt Lake City, each heading back to their respective apartments to prepare for the entire group's Sunday night dinner.

"Sober?" Leonard asked, still dumbfounded by the information. "I really don't believe you."

"I'll ask," Penny replied, adding to her message and sending it. Within seconds she received a response, which Penny read out loud: "'Yes, and he made it to what you refer to as 'second base', will talk to you tonight' – oh my God, Leonard, this is _amazing!_"

She leapt out of bed and began to dress herself, ecstatic by the news. Leonard stared as she pulled a singlet over her naked chest. "It's a miracle, that's what it is."

"I have to go talk to him!" Penny said, tying her hair up in a ponytail and throwing open her bedroom door.

"Do you really think that's such a good idea?" Leonard called after her, but it was too late. "Your funeral…"

* * *

><p>Penny burst through the adjacent apartment, where Raj and Howard sat on the worn couch, playing Halo. Bernadette was pouting in the armchair, reading a science magazine and looking utterly bored. The biologist looked up at her friend and smiled, relieved that she had arrived.<p>

"Come up for air, have we?" Howard muttered, never taking his eyes of the screen. He jerked the controller backwards, bashing the buttons and tugging the cord out of the console. "Ah, well, it was charged anyway…"

Penny ignored him. "Where's Sheldon?"

"Right here." Sheldon responded, stepping out from fossicking in the fridge. "And hello to you too, Penny."

She marched straight across to him and poked him in the chest, causing him to back up into the counter behind him. "You _kissed_ her? I'll tell you what, Sheldon Cooper, that had better have been done with Amy in mind, not some weird experiment, because if you hurt her, I'll -"

From behind them, Bernadette gasped. "You kissed Amy?"

Howard had paused the game, and was proceeding to dig a fifty-dollar note out of his pocket. He held it out in front of Raj, shaking his head. "I cannot believe it…"

Raj took a large swig of his beer and snatched it off the engineer. "Brown Dynamite for the win!"

Sheldon looked around at his friends and threw his head back in irritation. "My goodness, news most certainly does travel fast around here, doesn't it?"

He glared at Penny, and Penny glared straight back. "I'm not kidding, Sheldon – you tell me what's going on, right now."

Looking around at the four sets of eyes awaiting his response, he sighed. "Fine." He pursed his lips. "Amy and I shared an intimate moment and I may have found that as… repulsive as you would expect."

After a short moment of silence, Raj began to giggle and Howard let out a hoot. "Little Shelly's all grown up!"

Leonard, who had been standing in the doorway, shook his head in disbelief. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, if those two copulate and produce offspring it will be the end to the world as we know it."

Sheldon rolled his eyes at Leonard and took his drink across to his spot and sat down. "Don't get too ahead of _yourself, _Leonard. Although you are right, it would be."

Penny was still standing in the kitchen, jaw dropped. Bernadette jumped out of her spot and headed straight over to her, grabbing her by the hand and heading for the door.

"Where are we going?" Penny managed, following blindly.

"To see Amy, now!" Her petite friend replied, pulling out her phone and calling Amy.

Sheldon shook his head at the two girls derisively and sat back into the seat. Howard, Raj and Leonard all stared at him suspiciously.

"What?" He asked, recoiling at the sight of their inquisitive faces.

"Well, how was it?" Raj asked, leaning in.

"Good question, Raj, ask the robot about his feelings." Howard said sarcastically, nodding.

Sheldon glared at Howard. "It's none of your business."

Leonard groaned. "Oh, come on, Sheldon – you cannot expect us to believe that you felt nothing…"

"I never said that." Sheldon replied, reaching for Raj's controller and restarting the game of Halo.

"Sheldon –"

"None of your business." He repeated, focusing on his game. "On another more important topic, next weekend is Comic Con, and we have not as yet decided on any arrangements, including costume selection."

Leonard shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Sheldon – we've got plenty of time –"

Pausing the game, Sheldon put down the controller and shook his head. "Plenty of time? Do you not recall my extensive annual Comic Con schedule that we must review?"

"We recall it, alright." Howard muttered, "Oh, by the way, I was thinking of bringing Bernadette along, I know she won't be keen to stay at home with my mother…"

Leonard considered this. "Yeah, maybe I could bring Penny too, although I don't know if she'll want to come… and Sheldon, you could bring Amy?"

Sheldon screwed up his nose in protest. "Girls? At Comic Con? I don't know…"

Howard perked up, turning to face him. "It'll be great! We'll be the coolest nerds there, with girlfriends!"

Raj sighed. "I won't…"

"You'll have Siri," Howard joked, and Raj glared at him.

Sheldon considered the proposal. "I suppose we could accommodate them…"

Leonard smiled and rose to pick up their pizza. "Now it'll just be a matter of convincing them to go…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Another chapter down! Woo hoo! Really hope that everyone enjoys this one; it's main purpose being to build some distance and tension between our now-closer Shamy, and to involve the other characters a little more. The next chapter is another exciting one, and I'm hoping to get it up ASAP. Please read, review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Sixteen**

"You know Bernadette – this is just lovely. I am especially surprised that we were able to discover a seminar that relates to both of our respective fields; particularly when yours _is _microbiology." Amy said happily, staring out the window of Bernadette's small car. Bernadette sighed, eyes fixed firmly on the road. She had spotted a fascinating looking seminar on the Caltech website, focusing on Degenerative Cognitive Disorders – a field that her department was mildly dipping their toe into. Naturally, Amy was already booked in – so they decided to go together.

Glancing across at her passenger, Bernadette smiled. "It is nice! I hope that it's a worthwhile presentation, I know that some of the biology seminars over at Caltech can occasionally be a little… dry."

Amy grinned back and then shook her head. "No need to worry. I most certainly won't be learning anything I don't already know; if you struggle to keep up I can assist you with a follow-up tutoring session."

Bernadette rolled her eyes. "I don't think that will be necessary."

"I have to let you in on a secret," Amy began, turning in her seat slightly, "Penny may be my bestie but I find your companionship considerably more intellectually challenging; it is nice to be able to stretch the old brain once in a while. Plus, you're just so cute!"

"Thank you, Amy." Bernadette giggled. Her quirky friend may be odd, but her heart was in the right place.

"How is married life treating you, anyway?" Amy asked, changing the radio station.

Bernadette smiled, and then huffed deliberately. "On the whole – it's wonderful! I am just so sick of being in that house with his mother; I wish he'd just moved into my old apartment, would have made life so much simpler. We are house hunting, though; something close-by, in case his mother needs him…" She replied mockingly, glaring at the road ahead.

"Ah, marriage…" Amy cooed, "A constant battle between oneself and the mother-in-law…"

Bernadette chuckled at this, nodding in agreeance. "You don't have anything to worry about; Sheldon's mother seems lovely."

Amy drew her eyebrows up at her strawberry blonde friend and pursed her lips. "Two points – firstly, according to Sheldon, she is a 'religious nut', and I hold absolutely no interest in religion of any sort, and secondly, as if we're going to get married."

Bernadette glanced at Amy, who was now examining her nail beds intently. "Don't be like that, you never know…" She decided for a change of subject. "I still cannot believe what happened between you and Sheldon in Salt Lake City…"

Amy shook her head, in awe of the memory. "I know… neither can I, to be honest."

Turning into the Caltech car park, Bernadette peered about for a spot. "Where do you want it to go from here?"

Exhaling loudly, Amy shrugged. "I don't really know. Sheldon is so difficult to read; I wouldn't have a clue what he wants… if anything. I suppose we continue on at a pace that suits him…"

Pulling up in a spot under the shade of a tree, Bernadette unbuckled her seat belt and turned to face her. "Oh, come on, Amy! Give him something to fight for; he _wants_ you… he's just not one hundred percent sure of it as yet." Amy blinked at her, unsure of how to respond. Bernadette continued. "When Howie and I first started dating, I knew exactly where I wanted our relationship to go, but he wasn't ready – so I told him to think about it. He came back to me, in the end, and look where we are now!"

Amy tilted her head, confused. "So… you think I should give Sheldon an ulterior motive?"

"No… well yes…" Bernadette sighed, pulling the keys from the ignition. "I'm saying go at Sheldon's pace – because I'm scared he will spontaneously combust if you don't – but give him a reason to move things forward."

Amy considered this. "Interesting."

The two women had extracted their bags from the vehicle and began to walk into the building. Bernadette's phone vibrated in the pocket of her floral dress and she fished it out, skimming over the message as they accepted their visitor passes.

"Did you know that the boys were going to Comic Con this weekend? Howie has just sprung it on me now," Bernadette asked, annoyed at her husband's lack of communication.

Amy frowned and shook her head. "No, I had no idea – is that the big convention they have down in San Diego?"

Bernadette nodded. "He says that they're going for the night, and that I'm welcome to come along if I'd rather not stay with his mother. Well, that puts in a lovely little situation now, doesn't it?"

Amy chuckled at her petite friend and held the door for her into the lecture room. "Don't worry – you could always stay with me or Penny. We'll sort it out when we see the boys at lunch."

* * *

><p>Sliding his tray along the cool bench of the Caltech cafeteria, Sheldon sighed. Behind him, Raj was hypothesizing about the circumstances around which he and Amy may have 'gotten intimate'; Howard laughing and joking along with him. It was tiresome, and Sheldon was sick of the teasing.<p>

"Okay, okay, okay – I've got it. _Maybe _Sheldon's human side finally got the better of him and in a craze of lust he threw himself upon her…"

Howard scrunched up his nose and hummed indecisively. "I don't know, Raj, I liked your other theory better…"

"The one with the monkeys?"

Howard began to giggle, picking up a knife and fork from the counter. "Yeah, that one…"

Sheldon snatched up a pile of napkins and marched across to their table, where Leonard was already seated. "Dr. Koothrappali – I implore you to _please_ discontinue this infuriating mockery. It is both a waste of my time, and monumentally _stupid_…"

Leonard struggled to suppress his grin. "Come on, guys, lay off – I think he's had enough for one day."

Raj pouted and began picking at his salad. Looking up, he spotted Bernadette and Amy walking over to their table, and promptly elbowed Howard in the ribs.

"Ow! What was that for? Oh, hi, honey!" Howard shuffled across, making room for his wife to sit beside him. "How was the seminar?"

Bernadette groaned and rested her head in the palm of her hand. "Boring. The content was interesting, but the guy doing the presentation was just awful."

Amy placed her tray at the head of the table and pulled a chair across from a nearby table, taking a seat next to Sheldon. "Oh, come on – he wasn't _that _bad! And, like I said, I can always tutor you if you're unsure –"

"You're only saying that because you thought he was good eye candy!" Bernadette teased, smirking at her from across the table. Amy shrugged innocently and stabbed at her salad with her fork.

Sheldon looked up at Amy, for the first time since she had arrived. His heart jumped, as it often now did in her presence, and he shook his head to clear the feeling. "I'm sorry – eye candy?"

"Good looking, Sheldon." Leonard clarified, taking a sip of his drink.

"I am familiar with the term, Leonard. Just intrigued to know what Amy found so appealing." Sheldon glanced at Amy, who was now biting down a smile and making eyes at Bernadette.

"Oh, nothing, nothing." She said, and then proceeded to poke her tongue out at him. He frowned at her. _Why is she acting so strangely?_

Bernadette turned to Howard and swatted his hand. "Now, what's this about a comic book convention this weekend? You have hardly given me any notice and –"

Sheldon cut her off, excited by the prospect of their upcoming weekend. "Ah, good you have asked Bernadette; now we can get to planning. I propose that we have a meeting this evening in regards to –"

"Hold on – Howie, I don't particularly want to come to this thing, but I don't want to be stuck at home with your mother either…" Bernadette said, swinging back around to face him.

Leonard jumped in. "Bernadette, we were thinking that the three of you girls could join us… it'll be fun…"

"And what does Penny think of that idea?" Amy asked him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Leonard bit his lip and eyed the ceiling. "Well… I believe her words were 'bite me, I'd rather die'… but I think there's still hope there…"

Amy looked at Sheldon, who was still waiting impatiently for his turn to speak. "You didn't even ask me to go – do you even want me there?"

Raj leant across and whispered in Howard's ear. Howard sniggered. "Yeah, of course he does…"

Sheldon put down his fork and sat up straight. "Well, if I'm going to be perfectly honest, I am not at all keen on the idea of having girls accompany us to Comic Con –"

"Ignore him," Howard cut in, addressing both of the girls at the table, "come along to our meeting tonight, bring Penny, and you can decide then."

Amy shrugged and nodded at Bernadette, who nodded back. "Okay, we'll come to the meeting."

Sheldon picked up his tray and stood. "Well, I'm glad that's sorted. Amy, would you like to view my new office?"

Amy rose with him and nodded. "Sure."

Leading her down the hall, Sheldon opened the office door for her and she stepped past him, her body brushing against his lightly. She looked around, and her eyes stopped at a round hole in the wall. "Should I ask?"

Closing the door, Sheldon stepped around to the back of his desk and shook his head. "No."

"Closing the door now, are we?" Amy teased, following him and looking out of the window. "Isn't that a little risky… Dr. Cooper in his new office with some woman…?"

Sheldon leant back on his desk and folded his arms across his chest. "Not 'some woman', my girlfriend."

Amy shook her. "All the more reason for people to be concerned…" She paused, turning her head to a sound and listening closely. "That bird is singing out of tune with your wind chimes. You should really take them down."

Sheldon smiled, a big, happy grin, and sighed. "_Thank you! _I've been trying to tell everyone all week that the darn mocking bird is singing out of tune." He shook his head, a little baffled. "Take them down… why didn't I think of that…"

Amy pulled out his chair and took a seat, facing him. She very deliberately crossed one leg over the other, hitching her plaid skirt higher up her thigh. Watching him intently, she smirked when his gaze wandered from the tip of her shoes, up her bare calves and settled on her mid-thigh. "I'm in your spot…" She began, tugging on the hemline of her skirt.

Sheldon cleared his throat and averted his eyes, staring at a stain on the linoleum flooring. "Yes, it would appear that you are."

She rolled the chair closer to him, feeling confident in her movements. "And that doesn't make you uncomfortable?"

Sheldon watched as she came to a stop only inches from his leg, which was resting against the edge of his desk. She looked up at him, vivid green eyes piercing him through her dark glasses, and waited for his response. "Apparently not…" He replied hoarsely, never taking his eyes off her.

Gently, tentatively, she ran her fingers across the outside of his thigh, and she heard him almost gasp for air at the contact. He rolled his head slightly to the side and closed his eyes, pursing his lips. "Amy…" He warned, and the contact ceased instantly.

A little disappointed, but not at all discouraged, Amy turned to sit squarely at his desk and began to neaten his notes and stationery. "Sheldon, I need to ask you a question, and I expect you to answer me truthfully." She began, aligning one pen with its matching pair.

Sheldon observed her closely, narrowing his eyes as she shuffled his desk around. "Of course…"

Amy traced a finger along the grain of his mahogany desk, formulating her words. Finally, she looked up at him. "Have you thought about what happened in Salt Lake City?"

He took a moment to process the query, staring out his window at the drizzly rain that had just started hitting the glass. "Yes," He started, and then added quietly: "a lot."

She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a raucous knock at the door, followed by a brown haired man marching in. "Cooper – I told you, this ridiculous office situation is not sorted until I – why hello, madam!"

Sheldon was out of his spot quicker than anything, blocking the path between his intruder and his girlfriend. "Kripke."

Ignoring Sheldon completely, Kripke craned his neck around to wave at Amy, who was still sitting at Sheldon's desk. "Hello," She responded, apprehensively.

That was all Kripke needed. He scooted around Sheldon and leant on the edge of his desk, looking Amy over from head to toe. "And you are…?"

"She is my girlfriend, Amy Farrah Fowler, and she needn't have anything to do with you." Sheldon defended, racing around to the chair and tugging it out of Kripke's reach.

Kripke laughed and stared at Amy, his eyes wandering from her lips to her chest and back again. "Your _girlfriend?_ Good one, Cooper!" He looked Amy in the eye. "A beautiful woman like you should be with a real man, not this dweeb."

Sheldon frowned and stuck out his chest slightly. "_Excuse me_, I think that you will find that Amy is perfectly happy – well, why wouldn't she be, she's with Dr. Sheldon Cooper!"

Amy looked from Kripke's leering face to her bust and back again. She frowned, and gave him a scornful look. "Well, aren't you the charmer."

Bowing his head slightly, he grinned at her. "Barry Kripke, at your service."

She rose out of her seat, grabbing her handbag. "I'm not in need of any 'service', thank you, Barry." Squeezing past the two men, she headed for the door. "I'll see you tonight, Sheldon."

"The Comic Con organizational meeting is at seven o'clock, sharp!" He called after her as she left the room. "Right after Thai and Dr. Who!"

Beside him, Kripke chuckled and shook his head. "You're taking her to Comic Con? Oh boy, this is going to be _gold._"

Sheldon glared at him. "What on earth does this have to do with you?"

"Well, I can just see that fine piece of ass strutting her stuff in a Zatanna costume – and given that I'll be at Comic Con this year, I might just get what I wish for…"

Rounding on the shorter scientist, Sheldon struggled to contain the fiery that was raging in his belly. He gripped his fists at his side, never experiencing such a profound urge to punch someone. "Get, out."

Kripke was already heading for the door, a devilish smile across face. "See you this weekend, Cooper…"

Sheldon groaned and flopped back into his chair. Taking the girls to Comic Con was quickly proving to be a terrible idea…

* * *

><p>Hours later, Penny, Bernadette and Amy were busily arranging bowls and plates over at Sheldon and Leonard's apartment in anticipation for dinner to arrive. Collecting a handful of forks from the drawer and thrusting them onto the coffee table, Penny sighed.<p>

"I don't know about this whole Comic Con thing, you guys. Do we _really _want to be following this lot around… gawking at some lame comics, all decked out in their superhero get up?" She whined, and threw herself into the armchair near Raj.

Howard and Raj were parked on the floor, busily looking over Howard's extensive schedule for his upcoming trip into space. Tilting the screen of his laptop down so he could see the girls, Howard sighed. "Admit it – our superhero costumes are irresistible."

From the kitchen, Bernadette snorted. "I don't know about that, Howie." She brought across a pile of plates, and placed them down. "If we were to come along, what sort of… amenities does the hotel that we'll be staying at provide?"

That moment, the front door swung open and Leonard and Sheldon trudged in, food in hand. Slinging his bag over his body and placing it on his chair, Sheldon huffed. "Bernadette – the 'hotel' that we are intending to book is only the very best in San Diego; it is a five-star resort with all of the 'amenities' you could dream of."

"Spa?" Penny managed, suddenly quite interested in the prospect of the trip.

Sheldon nodded and began handing out the food boxes. "'Day spa' – what an odd name for something so –"

Amy came up from behind him and pushed him into his spot, shuffling past him to get to her own. "Shhh… Leonard, how about _you _provide an intriguing argument for us; outlining the reasons for which we should attend, with the aim to convince us to take part in this seemingly pointless trip. Go."

Gulping his food down quickly, Leonard sat forward in the computer chair he had rolled over. "Sure, okay. Well, to begin, you lovely ladies will have the pleasure of accompanying us to a convention held within a two hour trip radius, a reasonable distance should you wish to head back home… you will get to stay at a five-star resort which features a day spa and full buffet breakfast… you will be able to wander the shopping strips of San Diego, taking the opportunity to purchase new clothes and shoes…" He paused, struggling to come up with more appealing reasons "And… you can accompany us to the convention, making us look super cool because we've brought girls to Comic Con."

Amy cocked an eyebrow at him and swallowed her dumpling. "_That _was terrible. Thoughts, ladies?"

"If I may interject," Sheldon began, swinging his fork in the air, "what Leonard has failed to mention is that Comic Con is a world renowned convention, which has been in operation for over forty years, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. To attend is an honour, and to attend with four experts to guide you is an absolute privilege."

The three girls blinked at him. "_That _was also terrible." Penny mumbled, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs.

Raj leant across and whispered in Howard's ear. "Oh, and it will be all expenses paid for – although that doesn't really apply to Bernie and I, does it?"

Penny and Amy looked across at their respective boyfriends, surprised. "Is that so?" Penny asked, batting her eyelashes at Leonard.

He shrugged, nodding and giving her a small smile. "To correct Sheldon, it would be a privilege if you would accompany us."

Amy turned to Sheldon, who was poking his fork through his food although it were diseased. "I get the distinct impression that you really do not want me there."

Sheldon huffed and put down his dinner, meeting her eyes. "Well, now that I know that Kripke and his cronies will be present, I am even less inclined to feel that you should –"

"Who cares if Kripke is at Comic Con?" Howard interrupted, giving Sheldon a puzzled look.

Leonard frowned. "Yeah, Sheldon, why would it matter?"

Shifting in his seat, he clasped his hands together and looked into his lap. "He seems to have taken a special liking to Amy, and I am uncomfortable with a sleazy character such as Kripke within a twenty mile radius of her, let alone in an overcrowded, germ-filled convention centre in San Diego."

Amy felt her concern melt away and she smiled at him. "That's so romantic…"

Penny rolled her eyes. "It's not." Focusing on Sheldon, she continued. "Come on, Sheldon, man up and take that wascally wabbit!"

He sat forward, prepared to argue, but Amy stopped him. "As much as I agree with the bestie over here, I can take care of myself." She looked around at her two girlfriends. "Have we reached a consensus?"

"I'll go if you do." Bernadette replied, patting Howard on the arm. "If not, I'm staying with one of you for the weekend."

Penny looked at Leonard, who was silently begging her to say yes. "Okay, fine."

"It's settled, then. We will be attending the Comic Con this weekend," Amy said, smiling cheekily at her boyfriend, who ignored her.

Howard bounced in his spot, excited. "This is so great, I can't wait to see their faces when we rock up with hot babes in costume hanging off our arms –"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up – costumes? I don't think so," Penny said, taking her dishes over to the sink.

Bernadette scrunched up her nose. "Nuh-uh. I won't be wearing any costumes…"

Amy gathered the remaining dishes from the coffee table and headed over to assist Penny. "Sheldon, you know I have an aversion to costumes…"

Sheldon followed her over to the counter, watching while she dried the dishes Penny passed her. "Yes, I am quite aware, and as I have mentioned before – you just aren't the free spirit I am." Glaring at him, he hastily continued. "It is a non-optional social convention for attendees…"

"No, it's not!" Howard called, and Raj covered his mouth with his hand.

"She didn't know that…" Sheldon responded through clenched teeth, glowering at him.

"We'll think about it." Amy replied, heading back over to her spot.

Penny gave her a bewildered look, resuming her position in the armchair. "We will?"

"Yes." Amy looked over to Sheldon, who was sulking over by the fridge. "Come on, Sheldon. Don't you have to go through your plans with us?"

He visibly brightened at the thought of arranging the schedule, and wheeled over his whiteboard. "Alright – to begin: travel arrangements. I propose that we take Leonard and Amy's vehicles, or perhaps Bernadette's, depending on the availability of either option."

"My car will be sufficient." Amy said.

Leonard nodded. "Mine, too."

Sheldon began writing notes on his white board. "Marvelous. We will decide on who is traveling where on Saturday morning. Now – do we still have those walkie-talkies?" He got no response. "Alright, I will purchase another set. Next, we will be leaving at eight AM sharp – no excuses, Penny."

She groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead. "I don't even know what the world looks like at that time on a Saturday…"

Sheldon rambled through a variety of activities and outlined a schedule, and Amy eagerly took minutes from his notes on the board. After almost an hour, and Raj having to be woken twice, Sheldon put down his marker.

"Alright, I think that just about covers it. If you didn't catch something, or have any questions, please refrain from asking as I will email through a detailed schedule to all of you tomorrow morning." He said, taking a seat beside Amy. "Oh – I almost forgot; sleeping arrangements. I trust that we will all book our rooms separately, or shall I do it through one full booking?"

The group agreed that he should make the reservations together, so he took notes of room arrangements. "Okay – Leonard and Penny, you will have one double room, Howard and Bernadette, also a double room, Raj, you will have a double room to yourself, and Amy and I will share a double room. That's a total of four double rooms, am I correct?"

Leonard laughed at him. "You're spot on Doc, great math."

Sheldon glared at him, putting down his pen. "_Leonard_, it's very important that we get these numbers correct!"

Penny glanced across at the irritated scientist. "Are you and Amy sharing a bed now? Maybe you are using your girlfriend for what she's for, after all…"

Amy bit her lip, trying desperately not to smile. Sheldon moved his glare from Leonard across to Penny. "Not that it is _any _of your business, but I will ensure that two double beds are available."

"That didn't answer my question…" Penny began, and when Amy shook her head, she stopped.

Bernadette got up and stretched. "Well, girls, I suggest that we head over to Penny's to make some of our own plans for the weekend."

Amy and Penny followed their petite friend across the hall and Penny closed the door. She rounded on Amy. "Amy! What's with the whole 'we'll think about it' thing with the costumes? I am so not dressing up!"

Amy recoiled, worried that she had upset her best friend. "I'm sorry – I just wanted to get them off our backs. I am completely against dressing up, you know that… although I would love to see you in a Wonder Woman costume…"

Bernadette giggled. "I hear you've already done that once before…"

"Yes, I have, and I don't really want to do it again." Penny said, pouring three glasses of wine and passing a glass to her companions.

Amy eyed her carefully. "I am _so _disappointed that I missed that…"

Bernadette folded her arms over her chest and took a deep breath. "You know, maybe it wouldn't be _that _bad… we could just get some nice looking costumes off eBay, something simple… it would keep the boys happy?"

Penny made a face. "We'd have to look at what's available…"

"No." Amy said flatly, taking a seat on one of the bar stools. "You can both go right ahead but I am not wearing a costume."

Frowning at her, Penny leant on the bench. "Why not?"

For a moment, Amy was silent. "Look at you both… I can't compete with that… there's no way I can just wander in there all dolled up in a costume; I'll get laughed at!"

Bernadette rubbed the back of her hand. "Amy – don't. You know that's not true!"

Penny grabbed her pink laptop and opened it, centering it on the counter. "You know what? We're all going to do it, together – and _no one_ will laugh. We're gonna look smokin'!"

Amy groaned and rested her head in her hands. "This is not good…"

For the remainder of the evening, the girls researched and hunted for suitable costumes. What a surprise this was going to be…


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hurrah for chapter seventeen! This is a long one, which was going to be longer, but I've decided to split it up… so unfortunately there'll be a little more waiting! I really, really hope everyone enjoys this chapter – please, please review. I also forgot to mention in the Author's Notes for the previous chapter… I refuse to write in Kripke's lisp. I am not a fan of authors who write in speech impediments or accents, it's very irritating and it isn't English (I forgive you JK Rowling).  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter Seventeen**

"No, no and no!" Amy called from inside the change room stall, throwing a green leaf-encrusted mini dress over the door. "It's hopeless – I'm not going!"

Penny picked up the fallen costume and hung it back on the hook, juggling her pre-selected costume of choice. "Firstly, you bet your sorry ass you're going, and secondly, it's not hopeless – we'll find something!"

Bernadette stepped out of her stall gingerly, a sour look on her face. "How about this one?"

Penny looked her over and Amy stuck her head out of the door. Looking at each other, they both burst into a fit of giggles. "Is that a jester costume?" Penny asked, pulling at a pom-pom on her hat.

"And how many sizes too big is it?" Amy added, grinning.

Bernadette scowled at them and folded her arms. "Well, according to our research and the store assistant, it's _supposed _to be a Harley Quinn costume… whatever that is…"

Pushing her petite friend back into the stall, Penny passed her another option. "I think this will be great, just trust me."

A loud cackle came from Amy's change room. "Ha! 'Trust me' she says. Easy for you to say Miss I-Have-The-Perfect-Body."

"Shut up." Penny snapped playfully. The trio had spent hours only nights before searching for suitable costumes, listing appropriate options for each of them and locating a local costume shop. Penny had driven them in and – after being pestered by the young male shop assistant – they were slowly starting to get somewhere.

Jumping in surprise, Penny felt a vibration in her pocket and reached for her phone. She frowned. It was a text message from Howard.

_Bernie told me about the costume that you're planning for Amy – I have inside information that may be of use to you. BTW – didn't tell the others that you're dressing up, secret's safe with me! ;)_

Penny raised an eyebrow at her phone and chuckled, shaking her head. She replied asking for the information, though she wasn't sure whether she wanted it or not…

"Mmm… no, not this one either…" Came Amy's voice, and yet another costume came flying over the door. She stuck her hand through the crack in the door and Penny absently passed her another outfit, reading Howard's intriguing response.

She looked up in search for the assistant, and waved him over. The pimple plagued teenager came over enthusiastically, grinning at her. Penny gave him an awkward smile, holding the phone under his nose. "Um, yeah, hi – can you tell me if you have that?"

The lanky boy read over the message and nodded profusely. "Actually – we do. You've come to the right place! Want me to bring it over?"

"Yeah, thanks…" Penny responded, watching as he leapt off to hunt through hundreds of costumes.

"Ooo!" Bernadette trilled suddenly from her stall, opening the door again. "You were right, Penny – this one is great!"

Twirling in front of the full-length mirror, Bernadette beamed. She wore a mid-length red cape, with a royal blue bodice and red skirt, trimmed with gold. A large, red and gold 'S' adorned her chest, and she playfully put her hands on her hips and stuck out her bust.

Penny laughed. "See – smokin'!"

Bernadette smiled. "I have a great pair of red boots that will go with this nicely – think I'm done!" She leant on the doorframe, tired. "It's one of the first outfits I've tried on that doesn't look like swimwear…"

Penny nodded fiercely in agreement. "Yeah – female superheroes are kinda slutty, huh?"

Rolling her eyes, Bernadette smirked. "That's a lot coming from a girl who chose a rather risqué costume…"

"Shhh, you!" Penny said, catching another flying garment that came over Amy's door. "What was wrong with this one?"

"Penny, I don't think that was a lady's costume." Amy called, and then stuck her head out. "Can we go yet? Oh, Bernadette – you look 'fierce' as Penny would say! Although your bust kind of doesn't fit in that top…"

The assistant appeared again beside Penny. "Here you go!"

"Thanks." Penny said as he bounced off to serve another customer. She handed Amy the costume. "Last one, then we'll call it a day."

Amy huffed and snatched the costume, closing the door behind her. "It's lucky you're the most beautiful thing on the planet, bestie…"

Bernadette giggled and tilted her head to the side. "What costume was that?"

"Your husband sent me a _very _interesting text message just before…" Penny began, holding out the phone for Bernadette to read.

Her eyes scanned the message and she raised her eyebrows at Penny. "Interesting indeed…"

"I thought so…" Penny frowned, realizing they hadn't heard a whisper from Amy in quite a few minutes. "Ames, you still alive in there?"

Seconds passed before they heard a response. "Unfortunately, yes."

The lock on Amy's door clicked but it didn't swing open. Penny looked at Bernadette, who shrugged, and she gently pulled the door open.

Bernadette gasped and slapped a hand to her mouth. "Amy… why didn't you tell us that body was under all of those layers you wear?"

Smiling, Penny let out a whistle. "You look _hot_, Ames."

Amy stood in front of the full-length mirror, clad in the costume Penny had specially chosen for her, twisting her hip to anxiously scrutinize her legs and bottom. Straightening up, she tugged at a sleeve and bit her lip. "Are you sure…?"

"Like I said – smokin'! Now let's go!"

* * *

><p>Nearby, at Leonard and Sheldon's apartment, the four boys were huddled around the coffee table, arguing about their own costume selections.<p>

Raj huffed and folded his arms. "I'm sorry but I refuse to be Aquaman. It's just not happening."

"Well, Raj, if don't want to be Aquaman don't _be_ Aquaman!" Howard replied, aggravated by his friend's whining.

"Gentlemen, please," Sheldon began, looking up from his notepad, "there is a simple yet fair solution to our problems – we draw names out of a hat. I'll start by choosing The Flash and then the rest of you can –"

"Sheldon, that's not fair –"

"I'm telling you right now, I am not going as Aquaman –"

Leonard cracked open his Coke and sighed. "There is absolutely no reason why we have to go to Comic Con this year as the Justice League. Why don't we all just choose superheroes we would like, make sure that we don't double up and just be happy with that? Besides, this year we're attending two out of four days; we could potentially have a different costume each day."

Shooting him a scathing look, Sheldon groaned. "But _Leonard _– attending Comic Con as the Justice League has become somewhat tradition..."

"Oh well, we're breaking tradition," Leonard replied, taking a sip of his drink, "besides – I doubt the girls will make good Justice League members in their casual clothes…"

Howard couldn't control himself. "Actually you guys… I may know a little something…"

"What?"

"Bernie told me that the girls _are_ going to be dressing up for Comic Con – yay!" Howard chortled, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

"'Yay' indeed!" Raj agreed, wriggling his eyebrows. "That will be something to see…"

Abruptly, Sheldon bopped both of them on the head with his notepad. "Get your over-inflated minds out of the gutter and back to something important."

Leonard grinned mockingly. "Yeah, guys!"

Sheldon slapped him over the as well, scowling. "You too! Now, whilst the prospect of the girls donning costumes is quite intriguing and surprising, we need to focus and decide on costumes. Leonard – I reluctantly agree to your terms; under one condition."

"Yes…?"

"In the spirit of its true name, we will attend Comic Con in costumes _only _relevant to comic books - no television, movies, video games, books or other media. And no exceptions."

Leonard rolled his eyes at his tall friend. "Fine. I call Superman for day one and Green Lantern for day two!"

"The Flash day one and Wolverine day two!" Sheldon jumped, glaring at his friends.

Howard almost leapt out of his seat. "Batman and Captain America!"

Raj groaned. "You're not leaving me with many good options… hmmm… I'm going to say… The Hulk day one… and Spider Man day two!"

Howard snapped his fingers in defeat. "Spider Man, damn! And I chose Captain America…"

* * *

><p>It was seven fifty five on Saturday morning, and Leonard and Sheldon's apartment was sheer madness. Bags had been thrown haphazardly into their living room, people clambering over to take a seat in preparation for their final pre-travel meeting. The room was thick and noisy with excitement, and Sheldon didn't like it.<p>

"Excuse me – can I have everyone's attention, please!" Gradually, the noise and movement died down, and all eyes were on him. "Good morning! I trust we are all well rested in readiness for the upcoming events – wait, where's Penny?"

"Here, here!" Penny called, racing through the door and thrusting her pink leopard-spotted suitcase onto the floor. She flopped into the armchair beside Amy, who beamed at her.

"Two minutes late… unsurprising!" Sheldon scolded, picking up his whiteboard marker. "Now – if you will please refer to page three of your schedules you will find an outline as to the car teams for today's trip. Amy and I will be in Amy's vehicle with Howard and Bernadette, whilst Leonard, Penny and Raj will be in Leonard's vehicle. Does that suit everyone? Yes? Okay, good. We are going to be departing six minutes later than schedule, thanks to Penny, so there will be no time for a safety drill. If anyone is unsure please let me know. Now, any questions?"

Six heads shook at him and he clicked the cap back on his marker. "Alright – let's go!"

Picking up all bags, the group trudged down the three flights of stairs and loaded up the cars. Before long, they were on the road to San Diego. In the front seat next to Amy, Sheldon was bored.

"Amy," He whined at his girlfriend, turning on his hip to face her, "we've been traveling for just over an hour and already our passengers are dozing – how can we play a four player variation of Counterfactuals now?"

Amy hushed him, keeping her eyes on the road. "Sheldon – they're perfectly within their rights to have a nap if they want to. Why don't you call Penny over the radio, see how they're going?"

Sheldon picked up the small radio and clicked the button, holding it to his mouth. "Green Three, I repeat, come in, Green Three."

A moment passed before a loud scratching noise came in. It was Penny. "'Sup?"

Huffing, Sheldon clicked the button again. "_Penny_, you can't respond saying 'sup', that's completely inappropriate radio talk."

Another moment of silence. "'Sup, Dr. Cooper!"

Amy laughed and Sheldon glared at her. He placed the radio back in the glove box and folded his arms across his chest grumpily. "This is not fun."

"Oh, come on, Sheldon – you're pretty well alone in a car with your lovely girlfriend, free to speak about whatever you wish…" Amy replied, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

He began fiddling with the hem of his shirt anxiously. "Anything?"

"Anything."

Looking out the window, Sheldon pondered his words. "I didn't book a room with two double beds."

Amy almost drove off the road. She looked at him, perplexed. "What?"

He looked back at her sheepishly, shrugging. "Well… requesting an extra bed would have been quite an increase in cost… so I gave it some thought, and decided that after the events in Salt Lake City I felt we could figure it out."

Amy blinked and felt her face grow warm. Could she test the waters? "And the possibility of coitus would be…?"

Shockingly, Sheldon raised an eyebrow in her direction and gave her a tiny smirk. "Minimal…"

_Only minimal? _She thought, biting down a smile. _Interesting…_

* * *

><p>Within hours, the group were checked in to their hotel, unpacked and settled in. The four boys eagerly dressed up and headed across to the convention centre, excited to begin their Comic Con adventure. Far less interested, the three girls maintained that they would follow them down later.<p>

Stretching her arms above her head, Penny sighed. "This is the life!"

The trio had popped down to the hotel's day spa to have a pedicure, and were happily seated side by side with their feet in warm soapy water. Amy eyed the water apprehensively. "Are you sure this is sanitary?"

Penny closed her eyes and waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah!"

Bernadette eyed off the colour swatch the beautician had given her. "Ooo, I think I'll get bright red to match my boots…"

Amy looked at her curiously. "But they'll be in boots, why would you do that?"

She shrugged and grinned. "'Cause I can!"

"Do we _really _have to go down to meet the guys? I know we said we would but it's just so tempting to stay here and be doted on all day…" Penny said, taking the colour swatch from Bernadette and flicking through the colours.

Bernadette sighed. "We promised…"

Amy was distracted. Since Sheldon's unexpected comment regarding their sleeping arrangements earlier, she had struggled to focus. Sure, they had slept together before, but this seemed terribly odd for Sheldon.

She cleared her throat, deciding to discuss it with her girlfriends. "I need to talk to you about something…" Turning to them, she took a breath. "Sheldon didn't book a room with two beds, and now he's saying we can sleep together."

Penny's jaw dropped and Bernadette turned a subtle shade of pink. "What?"

"Not 'sleep' together – sleep together, you know." She looked into her lap, suddenly confused. "Or at least I think that's what he meant…"

Stunned by the revelation, Penny turned her hip to face her, splashing water all over the beautician massaging her feet. "Oh, wow. This is just… I don't even know what to think… or whether I want to think at all…"

Bernadette tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "You know Amy, it could just be his way of saying that he's comfortable with the too of you being close… you know, physically. It's Sheldon we're talking about; I really would not jump to the conclusion of sex –"

Amy shook her head vehemently. "No – I asked him about the likelihood of coitus and he responded 'minimal'. So I would imagine it is not an option."

Penny was still a little in shock. Putting a hand to her head, she started to laugh.

"What's funny?" Amy asked, frowning.

"I just can't get my head around it – I'm sorry." She chuckled. "Oh wow…"

Amy glared at her bestie. This was something she was particularly stressed about and she was not being terribly supportive…

Bernadette noticed her brunette friend's troubled face. "Amy, don't worry about it. Just wait and see what happens. You'll know if it's right, won't she, Penny?" She slapped Penny across the arm, making eyes in Amy's direction.

"What? Oh yeah, sure." She giggled again. "You'll know alright…"

Half an hour later, they had returned to Penny's room and were readying themselves to meet the boys at the convention. Amy was already dressed, wrapped up in Penny's robe.

"I really don't know about this… I feel so naked…" She complained, plonking herself onto the edge of the bed and tugging the robe tighter around her body.

Bernadette rolled her eyes and ran the straightener over her fringe a final time, checking it in the mirror. "Naked? You're wearing more clothing than Penny and I put together…" She said, climbing around the back of Amy and taking to her hair with a curling tong.

Penny emerged from the bathroom, black leotard tight to her slim torso. She slipped a cropped black jacket over her shoulders and winked at her friends playfully. Bernadette whistled. "Very sexy, Penny!"

Amy, who was struggling to look away, managed to avert her eyes. "I don't think I can look or I might pounce on you." She glanced back and her eyes met fishnet-clad legs. "Nope, I will definitely pounce."

Penny bent down in front of her and tilted her chin up, a mascara wand in hand. "Now, Ames – why did we pick this costume for you?"

Amy sighed and replied reluctantly. "So I can 'let my hair down', 'break free'… be somebody I'm not…"

Chuckling at her, Penny filled in her eyelid with dark shadow. "So you can have some fun…"

* * *

><p>Over the road at Comic Con, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj were having a blast.<p>

"That interview with Jerry Robinson was _most _intriguing…" Sheldon began, placing another brochure into his overflowing Comic Con canvas bag.

"To think… we got to hear about the life and career of the creator of some of Batman's most iconic characters…" Howard cooed, browsing over the stalls as they passed them.

Leonard nodded, pushing past crowds of people to keep up. "So, Sheldon, what's next?"

"Well," He began, extracting his schedule from his bag, "I believe that we have a fifty minute break to review the exhibitors before the Star Wars Trivia Game Show… unless anyone wants to attend the Twilight Fandom Panel, which I can assure you that you do not."

Raj looked grumpy, and scratched at his green painted skin. "I may have wanted to…" He huffed. "I don't think this body paint was a very good idea…"

Howard stood up on tip-toe, in search of a certain stand, to no avail. "Sheldon, I need your height for a second! Can you see the DC exhibit? Should be around here somewhere!"

Sheldon craned his neck over the crowd, searching for the stand. It didn't appear to be nearby. He looked around again, and something caught his eye – a certain blonde from across the hall, looking especially lost.

"I don't see the stand but I do see Penny." He told them, readjusting his bag on his shoulder. The three shorter men looked at him, eyes wide.

"Where? What's she wearing?" They chorused, looking around for her eagerly.

"I believe…" He began, craning his neck above the crowd once more, "she is wearing a Black Canary costume. Hideously inaccurate. Oh and there's Bernadette as… Supergirl? That costume is a little outdated, I – hey!"

Without waiting for him, Leonard, Howard and Raj rushed off ahead to find them. Sheldon huffed and moved through the crowd, finally bumping into the back of a very frozen Raj.

"Raj – I would appreciate it if you did not stop in the middle of an aisle, it is a safety hazard; these walk ways are used as thoroughfares to –" He looked at Raj, who was not listening at all, and followed his gaze.

His heart stopped.

Standing only meters from him was the most beautiful creature he had ever envisaged. It was Amy Farrah Fowler… but she was not herself today. His eyes scanned her from bottom to top; long, slender legs wrapped in a shimmery black fabric, trailing up to hug her curvaceous waist and bust, scooping into a round neckline and flowing down her arms. Her hands were gloved, with tiny golden claws at the tip of each finger. A matching golden pendant hung from her neck, along with a golden belt slung low on her hips. A pair of pointed black ears stuck out from her fluffy, curly hair that trailed down her back in messy spirals.

He couldn't breathe; lungs seemingly incapable of pumping air, and he felt tingles throughout his body. Sweeping his eyes across her once again, a sensation came over him that he knew too well now – a sensation that he was struggling to fight. Had he ever noticed the way her feminine stomach arched into the curve of her hip? The way her bust rose and fell as she breathed? There was so much of her on display, and yet so little…

Nervously, she gave him a tiny smile, and when he didn't return it she bit her lip – making the sensation even worse for him. To his frustration – though he didn't fully understand why – Penny leapt into his image of her, throwing her arms around Amy's neck. "Doesn't she look _hot?_"

Four pairs of eyes were fixed on Amy, and she began to feel self-conscious, wrapping her arms around herself. Leonard and Howard – who had gaped at their respective partners prior to spotting Amy – were the first to look away.

Leonard grinned at the three girls. "You look great!" He moved over to Penny and pulled her close to him. "Especially you…"

Bernadette skipped over to her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "You like?"

"Are you kidding? I love!" He said, looking over her petite frame. "This outfit is going to have to come to the bedroom…"

Snapping out of his trance, Raj raced over to Howard's side and whispered in his ear. Howard chuckled. "Amy – Raj would like you to know that you make the best Catwoman he has ever seen." He smirked at Sheldon, who was still staring at her. "I think Sheldon agrees… told you Julie Newmar was his favourite Catwoman…"

At the mention of his name, Sheldon snapped his head around to look at Howard. Penny held a hand over her mouth, laughing. "And thank you, Howard, for your assistance with the costume selection, it was hugely appreciated."

Amy watched Sheldon intently as he deliberately avoided her gaze and shuffled awkwardly. It was fascinating. The idea that she had that sort of power over someone was… exhilarating. A wave of confidence hit her and she straightened, sashaying over to him. "Dr. Cooper," She said quietly, clinking her claws against her belt.

"Hello." He managed, mesmerized by the way the dark make-up around her eyes made them glow. _Like cat's eyes… _He thought, unable to look away.

"What do you think?" She asked, smiling and spinning around for him.

_I think you're incredible. _"I…"

"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" Came a familiar, grating voice from behind Sheldon. "If it isn't the losers, and their immeasurably attractive ladies…"

"Piss off, Kripke." Howard started, snaking his arm around his wife's waist.

Leonard nodded, stepping closer to Penny. "Yeah, Kripke – just move on and we'll see you at work on Monday."

Kripke ignored them and turned to Sheldon. "Cooper. Where's your delectable little friend – oh, why hello pussy cat!" He slid over to her, blatantly running his eyes over her figure. "Gonna purr for me, kitty?"

Sheldon felt his hand twitch at his side and glared at him, furious. "Kripke – you are playing with forces far beyond your ken –"

"Sheldon, I can handle it." Amy interjected, smiling sweetly at Kripke. She stalked over to him, stopping barely a nose length from him. "Besides… he's all talk…"

He staggered slightly, surprised by the sudden proximity, and then regained his composure, smirking back at Sheldon. She gave him a moment to prove himself, and when nothing happened, she turned away.

In the next moment, Amy felt a sharp slap on her behind and a chorus of sniggers from Kripke and his friends. She saw Sheldon's eyes shoot open in anger and shock, but before he could do or say anything she felt something inside her snap.

Spinning back on her assailant, she punched him square in the nose, thick spurts of blood gracing the front of his beige shirt. He yelped in pain, stumbling back, and his cronies let out a chorus of taunts. Anger bubbling in her stomach, Amy grasped his wrist in her hand and twisted his arm behind his back, his ear now within the distance of a whisper.

Less than a meter away, Sheldon swayed at the sight of the blood, and Penny was instantly at his side to support him. Leonard approached Amy to assist, hands out in front of him. "Amy… just let him go, it's not worth it…"

She looked from Leonard across to Sheldon, who appeared confused, impressed and frightened all in the same expression. She bent her neck to Kripke's ear, scowling. "Don't you _ever _touch a woman like that again."

With that, she thrust him to the floor and turned on her heel for the exit, her body disappearing into a sea of people.

"Go, Amy!" Howard beamed, hooting loudly. Raj, silent as always, was holding down a laugh as Kripke and his followers headed back through the crowd in defeat.

Penny was not as impressed. "Amy, wait!" She called, leaping forward to run after her. A gloved hand gripped her arm.

"Don't," Sheldon said quietly, "I'll go."

Still able to see the very tips of her cat ears, Sheldon jogged through the crowd to catch her. "Amy! Amy, wait!"

Bursting through the front doors of the convention centre, Amy headed for the hotel, feeling a complex mixture of adrenaline, aggravation and mortification. She could hear Sheldon calls, but didn't turn back.

A hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged her to a stop. Breathless, Sheldon looked at her. "Amy, stop." He looked down at her hand, which was twisting under his grip, but he didn't let go. "Why did you go?"

Amy sighed and closed her eyes. Even she didn't know. "I don't know… I… I've never felt like that before… I was just so angry, and excited by the costume and…" She trailed off, tears springing to her eyes unexpectedly. "I can't believe he slapped me on the ass – that absolute fu-"

Sheldon's face cracked into a smile, a huge, genuine smile. "_I _can't believe that you punched him, that was magnificent. I think you may have broken his nose." He chuckled lightly, and then his eyes turned dark. "To tell you the truth, I'm glad you did, when he touched you I didn't know what to do… I just froze up…but I'll tell you one thing; he'll never touch you again, or he'll have to face the wrath of Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper… or in today's case, The Flash…"

Amy exhaled deeply and smiled, feeling the heightened emotions within her begin to subside. "Did I really break his nose?"

"Not sure," Sheldon shrugged, "there was a lot of blood though. It was the Catwoman in you… seeking justice for all of the wrong reasons…"

At the mention of her costume, his eyes trailed over her again, unabashedly this time. Amy caught his eyes, tilting her head. "Do you like it?"

"Well," he began, "as I believe you may now know… Julie Newmar was by far my favourite Catwoman, followed by Michelle Pfeiffer, Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether and then Halle Barry. I can most assuredly tell you that Julie Newmar is no longer my favourite, you are."

Amy felt her cheeks flush and jumped as he slid his hand down from her forearm to lace his fingers together with her own. He looked at her closely, a whole new expression on his face; one she was starting to see more and more. "I can also tell you that as my favourite Catwoman you are making me feel things I have never felt before…"

She felt her lungs gasp for air, her body shivering at his husky words. "I –"

"Amy, Sheldon!" Bernadette called, sprinting up to them, red cape flowing in the wind. She threw herself at Amy, holding her closely. "Are you okay?"

Sheldon stepped back and Amy dropped her eye contact with him to look at Bernadette, who was now examining her at arms length. "Yeah, I'm fine, I think."

Penny came to a screeching halt beside them. "Oh, my God! You had me so worried you crazy kitty, come here!" She hugged her tightly. "You sure showed him whose boss, huh!"

Sheldon cleared his throat and shuffled. "I'll head back in…"

Eyes narrowing, Penny eyed him closely. "I'm sorry – did we interrupt something…?"

"No, no!" Amy said, giving her a small smile. "Sheldon just came to make sure I was alright. Which I am. Fine."

Bernadette looked back toward the door, searching for the other boys. "Howie said that Kripke fellow has left, he didn't call security or anything…"

"That's because he knew what he did was wrong and he deserved it." Sheldon said from behind them, adjusting his mask.

"We'd better get back," Penny said, nodding toward the entrance, "Leonard said Sheldon will be upset if they miss the start of some Star Wars game show…"

"It's alright," He said, inching closer to Amy, "I know all of the answers anyway…"

The group headed back into the building, Amy catching Sheldon's hand as they walked. He looked down at their hands, and then up at her, and smiled.

If only they knew what the night ahead was going to bring…

**Author's Note: **Yay! I hope everyone enjoyed that! I don't normally do an end note, but there were a few things I wanted to say that I couldn't say up top without giving stuff away. I did a HUGE amount of research into what costumes the girls should wear… I wanted them to be relatively well known, and from the DC or Marvel comics, and when I looked there weren't a lot that suited Amy – I wanted something that wasn't too 'slutty' in appearance and had a bit of symbolism about it too. I chose Catwoman for a few reasons – firstly, I liked the tie with Sheldon's favourite (please search for Julie Newmar as Catwoman in your chosen search engine, it's worth a look for the visual) Catwoman, felt her outfit wasn't too 'out there' for Amy (obviously I didn't go for Halle Berry's costume) and I also loved the idea that when Amy 'becomes' Catwoman it brings out a new side of her – gives her a chance to shine (or beat someone up, haha!). As for the other two girls, I didn't put in as much thought, just went for something fun. Anyway – more to come really soon, please read and review!


	18. Chapter 18

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alright… so I got this one up a lot faster than I'd originally thought! I need to warn everyone of -** this chapter is angsty. **I'm not a huge fan of angst but it was time for some – it can't all be rainbows and butterflies, I'm afraid. Such is life. Anyway – enjoy, read and review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 18**

After countless hours wandering about the convention center, viewing numerous exhibits and sitting through far too many tedious minutes of panels and interviews, the three girls decided it was time to call it quits. Reluctantly, Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj agreed; hunger quickly getting the better of them.

As they headed back across to the hotel and into the adjoining bar, Sheldon couldn't help but feel frustrated. Since seeing Amy that afternoon, he had struggled to maintain his focus, missing many important and intriguing aspects of his day at Comic Con. He had sat through multiple interviews with some of the world's most renowned comic icons, and yet his brain had seemed to be absent. Amy's darkened cat-like eyes, perfectly messy hair and feminine body kept creeping back into his head, distracting him. Who was he becoming? This was all her fault…

A set of dark fingers clicked in front of his face. "Yo, Sheldon? Hello? I think his system is malfunctioning, dude." Raj said, turning back to Howard and swinging his beer in his hand.

Howard took a seat on a bright orange ottoman, slipping his Batman mask off and taking a swig of his drink. "Nah, just hung up on Catwoman…"

Sheldon shot him a menacing glare and looked around. The hotel they were staying at featured an up-market restaurant and bar, both of which were decorated in a meticulously modern style. In the dim, ambient lighting, he could see Bernadette, Amy and Penny up at the bar; placing drinks onto a tray and laughing at the bartender's undoubtedly lame jokes. He looked over Amy's implausibly long legs – enhanced by her high-heeled boots - and frowned as the muscular bartender took her money with a far too friendly smile.

Leonard sniggered and pulled Sheldon into a nearby seat. "Relax, Sheldon, she'll be fine."

Sheldon ignored him and continued to watch her, seething. Penny handed him a drink and he absently took a sip, instantly spitting it back into the glass. "Penny – is this whisky?"

"And Coke, yep." She took a seat next to him on the lime green couch and gave him a look. "For God's sake, just drink it. You're going to need it."

Bernadette and Amy walked back across from the bar with the remainder of the drinks, receiving a hoot of whistles and jeers from a drunken table nearby. Bernadette shook her head and blushed, but Amy turned back and gave them a smile, sending Sheldon's aggravation through the roof.

Beside him, Penny chuckled. "She's just having fun, you're the only one she wants…"

Sheldon looked at her quizzically. "The one she wants?"

"Well, yeah," Penny said, taken aback, "wait – what are you confused about?"

"Never mind…" He grumbled, watching as Amy took a seat on an ottoman across from him next to Raj.

Grinning at her, Raj held up his glass. "Here's to the smartest Catwoman the world has ever seen!"

Amy laughed and clinked her glass with his, taking a long sip. "Oh," She said suddenly, reaching for her bag, "I almost forgot…"

She pulled out a black pointed mask and placed it across her eyes, shaking her hair back dramatically and giggling. _Breathe,_ Sheldon thought, closing his eyes, _it's only a mask…_

Before long, the group were well on their way to intoxication, ordering more and more glasses of alcohol and plates of chips. Sheldon had managed to sip through a large glass of Cuba Libre, which he was now regretting – he felt slightly dizzy and had to contain himself from saying reckless things.

Penny, Bernadette, Howard and Raj had bounced off to dance on the tiny dance floor, and the two girls were now teaching the two left-footed boys how to do the Macarena. Leonard and Amy, despite the alcohol, were having a heated discussion regarding the possibilities of teaching a primate to learn such a dance.

"Leonard," Amy huffed, "you are well aware that my current studies focus on the results of addiction in primates, not learnt behaviour… besides, there are two perfectly healthy primates over on the dance floor demonstrating the findings…"

Leonard chuckled. "True, but I still maintain that it would be an intriguing study…"

Amy downed the last mouthful of her drink and glanced over at her dancing friends. They had drawn quite a crowd, the dance floor now cramped with bodies, many of them sporting costumes. Penny's laugh boomed over the music and she waved Amy over. "Come on!"

"Looks like I'm being beckoned…" She said, rising from her seat and squeezing past Sheldon, running a finger across his shoulder. It gave him a chill.

Pulling his mask over his head, he threw his head back and groaned. Leonard eyed him curiously. "She's driving you mad, isn't she?"

Sheldon's eyes shot to him, defensive. "What? No, not at all… think it's just the alcohol…"

Leonard raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure. That's why you're having trouble concentrating, unable to stop looking at her, feeling strange urges you've never felt before…" He nodded, "yeah… definitely the alcohol."

Sheldon glared at him and subconsciously took another large swig of his drink, feeling it burn in his throat. "You know I am in complete control of my baser urges –"

"Ah, so you don't deny it!" Leonard taunted, pointing at him accusingly.

"No – well – I –"

Leonard rolled his eyes and looked across to the dance floor. "Just admit it – Amy looks phenomenal." His eyes wandered to his girlfriend's fishnet clad legs and knee high boots. "Never thought I'd like fishnets until today…"

Sheldon looked at him, puzzled, and shook his head. He, too, turned toward the dance floor, watching Amy's movements as she danced up against Penny. "I don't know what to do…"

Snapping out of his trance, Leonard glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

Sheldon sighed, tearing his eyes away. "I'm torn, Leonard. I'm no longer in complete control of myself, and it is maddening. I feel like everything is spiraling out of control… and I'm afraid I'm going to lose her…"

Surprised by his sudden emotional confession, Leonard frowned. "You're not going to lose her…"

That very moment, Sheldon watched closely as one of the drunk hooligans from the nearby table asked her for a dance, looking at her like she was fresh meat. Politely – too politely for Sheldon's liking – Amy smiled at him and declined, resuming her dance with Penny. Sheldon turned to Leonard and pursed his lips. "Really?"

Leonard shrugged, unable to come up with the right words to comfort his friend. "Uh… I don't know Sheldon… just trust your instincts…"

The lure of Penny became too much for Leonard to handle, so he picked up his drink and jogged to the dance floor, grasping Penny around the waist for an awkward dance. Sheldon huffed. _Great help, Hofstadter…_

Amy continued to dance solo, until a familiar figure with his nose carefully bandaged popped up beside her, tapping on her shoulder. Sheldon was out of his seat instantly, racing to be by her side this time.

At the sight of Kripke, Amy backed away; fury and adrenaline racing back into her system. He held out his hands, indicating a truce. "I just wanted to apologise for earlier… what I did was uncalled for." He paused as she eyed him cautiously. "I also wanted to inform you that I like my women feisty –"

Unfortunately for Kripke, his final sentence was all Sheldon caught as he came to stand beside Amy. The anger boiled in his veins and he towered over Kripke. "I do not want to see you anywhere near _my_ girlfriend ever again, do you understand me? How _dare _you touch her, and how _dare _you show your face around me again… you will stay far away from her, you filthy piece of –"

Amy grabbed his arm, sensing that he was ready to explode. "Sheldon, it's okay – he was apologizing –"

Sheldon wasn't done. "It sure as hell didn't sound like he was apologizing, I won't let him hurt you again –"

Kripke sniggered, ego surprisingly overinflated. "There you go Cooper, getting your woman to defend you again – what a loser…"

Sheldon's body twitched, and Amy tightened her grasp on his arm, feeling it attempt to fly forward. He shook her hand away angrily, and once again Kripke snickered. "And some relationship it is… you won't even let her touch you… oh, that's right – how is that whole mysophobia thing going for the two of you, anyway?"

Sheldon lunged at Kripke, missing him by inches and pulled back roughly by Leonard, who had luckily been watching the conflict. Kripke laughed and backed away from the commotion. "See you round, losers."

Furious, Sheldon pushed Leonard away and took a deep breath, trying desperately to regain control. This had _never _happened to him before, he had never become violent…

Amy reached out a hand to him, incredibly concerned. "Sheldon…?"

He looked back at her; into her piercing eyes. "Come on," He said, grabbing her hand and tugging her out of the bar.

"Sheldon, what are you doing –" She said as he pulled her into the lift and swiped their card, shooting up to their floor.

He didn't respond, simply dragged her into their hotel room. Letting go of her hand, he yanked off his gloves and uncharacteristically threw them across the room, plonking himself onto the edge of the bed. Amy stepped into the room, heart racing from their quick exit, and pulled off her mask and kicked off her boots. She had drunk too much; everything was spinning.

"I can't leave you alone with anyone, can I?" He said through a choked voice, head in his hands. "How am I supposed to be able to protect you when I can't even… I can't…"

Amy felt his angst, felt a thousand emotions bubbling up under his skin. She knelt in front of him, searching for his eyes. "Sheldon, it's okay…" She whispered, pulling his hands away from his face.

"It's not okay!" He responded angrily, eyes full of tears. "How can I do this? How can I keep pretending that everything is fine, that you're not going to find someone else who is whole; who isn't plagued by fear and self-doubt? Amy, I want to be able to give you so much but I can't… I just can't…"

Tilting his head up, Amy looked him in the eye. "No, Sheldon… you're the only one I want, with or without your flaws; we all have them. I don't care how slowly things develop in our relationship; I want you to be comfortable, Sheldon… in your own time, in your own space."

This was his everything, now. Her voice soothed him, calmed him, provided a comfort and security he had never known before. He felt his walls come crashing down around him; those he had spent so long building. How could one person cause so much chaos, some much turmoil, and yet bring so much happiness?

He looked up, meeting his eyes with her own once again. She was perfect; pointy ears skewed on her head, hair a teased curly mess, and red lips slightly parted. Gazing at her, he breathed. "You did this for me?"

Unsure, she nodded slowly and gave him a tiny smile. "Of course."

Slowly, steadily, he pressed his lips to hers, feeling every last gasp of air and hint of control escape his body. He felt her gasp against him as he deepened the kiss, skimming his tongue across her bottom lip, pleading for access. She snaked a hand around his neck, drawing him closer, and broke the kiss. Boldly, she trailed her lips along his neck lightly, and felt him shiver with nervous excitement. He pulled her up onto the bed, on top of him, and found her lips again, completely unsure, completely unskilled. Their kisses became more urgent, and – as he had only a week earlier – he ran a hand along her waist and over the mound of her breast, rubbing gently.

Amy pulled away and gasped, the contact far more confident than it had been. This time, she watched his eyes, fixed firmly with her own, and saw desire and uncertainty. She pushed her chest against his hand and his breathing hitched, eyes clouding with longing. He pushed up on his elbows and kissed her over and over, making her heart race. Sitting back, straddling him, she pulled her necklace over her neck, unclipped the belt and tugged the top half of her costume over her head slowly, revealing that _damn _black bra Sheldon had spotted in Salt Lake City…

He couldn't help but stare. Granted, he had seen women in bras before, even naked, but not like this. Not straddling his hips, not looking at him with eyes that could burn a hole straight through him and cat's ears atop her head. Not with a figure that reminded him of a Greek goddess. As his eyes swept over her torso, something purely primal surged in his veins, and he flipped her onto her back, lips crashing to hers once again, hands reaching to touch her bust, to feel her soft, velvety skin… _What is happening to me?_

Amy's world was spinning. She could feel her hands trailing along his chest, finding the base of his top and sneaking her hand inside to feel his chest, all muscle and softness. The touch of her fingers against his chest made Sheldon's heart race, and he instinctively ground against her, his hardness pressing against her. He moaned softly, a sound he had _never _heard come out of his mouth and Amy eyed him, shocked. Giving her a sheepish smile, his fingers delved into her bra and found her nipple, tweaking it gently. Amy cried out quietly. _This is too fast…_

Reluctantly, she pushed him away, and they faced each other, panting. Sheldon looked into her make-up smeared eyes, full of what appeared to be fear and hesitance, and his stomach turned. "Amy, I am so sorry, I don't know what came over me –"

She shook her head. "No, no… I just… I don't want it to be like this, I've had a lot to drink, and you've had a bit too…"

He nodded and felt his stomach turn again, and his heart began to race at an extraordinarily fast rate. Had he really lost control? Looking up at Amy, lost in a sea of pillows, almost completely bare chested, he began to feel faint and ran for the bathroom, locking the door behind him and resting his head over the toilet, sure he was going to throw up.

Seconds later, he heard a soft knock at the door. "Sheldon? Are you okay?"

Unable to vomit, he stood up and gripped the bathroom bench, looking at himself. He was pale, and looked scared. "I think I'm having a panic attack…"

Jiggling the doorknob, Amy sighed exasperatedly. "Let me in and I'll help you!"

He reached across and flicked the lock, and Amy burst in, rushing to him. Flipping the toilet seat down, she sat him on the edge of it, and knelt in front of him with wet a towel, dabbing his forehead. "Just try to relax…"

Sheldon looked down at her and was greeted with another eyeful of her cleavage. He groaned. "How do you expect me to relax if you won't put some more clothes on?"

Blushing, she wrapped an arm across her chest and helped him to his feet. "I think I might have a shower… I'll meet you out there when I'm done." Sheldon said, and she nodded, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Dreamily, Amy sat on the edge of her bed and reached for her phone to text Penny.

_Oh my God, Penny – we almost engaged in coitus. Not kidding. _She typed, and tucked the phone back into her bag. Standing in front of the mirror above their tiny kitchenette, she extracted the cat's ears from her wild hair and knotted it into a bun on top of her head. Then, she wiped every bit of make-up from her face, pulled off the rest of her costume and threw on her nightshirt. Hopping into bed, she heard her phone buzz and put on her glasses. It was Penny.

_WHAT HAPPENED?_

What Amy really wanted to say was 'not sure', but she refrained. _It just sort of happened… I stopped it because it didn't feel like the right time, too drunk… will tell you more tomorrow, he's in the shower now._

The last hour was a wonderful blur, and she felt as though her skin was still on fire from his touch. Sheldon Cooper had made out with her, seen her in her bra, touched her breasts, and – if she hadn't stopped him – may have had sex with her… what was going on? Was she really affecting him this much?

Flopping back into the array of pillows, she huffed. The amount of pent up sexual frustration was almost painful; she needed some time to herself. Perhaps Sheldon had felt the same way…

She openly laughed at the thought and shook her head. Unlikely. Her phone vibrated again and she checked Penny's message.

_Well we all know why he's in there! ;)_

That stopped her laughter. Was Penny right? Had he really suggested he needed a shower for more sinister reasons? Amy blushed at the thought, dismissing it. _Surely not…_

Suddenly, she began to feel nervous. Where would they go from here? Would he return from his shower, return from this trip, and act like nothing ever happened? Like, once again, it was a mistake? Or was this yet another small step in the right direction for their complex relationship?

Amy sighed, sinking lower into the pillows and pulling up the covers. Moments later, Sheldon emerged from the bathroom, sporting his purple plaid pajamas and wet shaggy hair. He gave her a shy smile. "Hi…"

She looked at him apprehensively. "Hello."

Wandering around the bed to his side, he slipped in beside her, lying on his side to face her. They stared at each other for a moment, until Sheldon finally spoke.

"Amy, I…" He searched her eyes for something; anything. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable…"

This wasn't him backing away; it was him being immensely unsure and completely out of his comfort zone. Amy looked back at him, serious as ever. "Sheldon, if circumstances had of been different – if I hadn't of been slightly drunk and you hadn't just attempted to accost Kripke – there's no doubt in my mind that I would have engaged in intercourse with you tonight."

Sheldon's stomach did a backflip and his breathing quickened. "I… um…"

She smiled at his loss for words and decided that she would confront him about his shower. "Why did you say you needed a shower?"

He gave her a baffled expression and leant up on his elbow. "What?"

"I mean – why did you say you needed a shower?" She repeated, tilting her head inquisitively.

Sheldon was beginning to catch-on, and had a guilty conscious to match. "I just needed some time to… cool off?"

Amy smirked, knowing the answer. "Can I ask… is that something you do often?"

Sheldon felt his face redden. He could not believe he was having this conversation. _Oh well, _he thought, _why be embarrassed by a regular human function? _"I never used to… perhaps occasionally when I was going through puberty but on the whole it didn't interest me. Not until you kissed me, that is."

Slightly ashamed by his confession, he bit his lip. There was definitely some alcohol still in his system…

"I found myself incredibly distracted by the memory of that night, distracted by you in general, actually. I found myself frustrated and unable to accomplish my work successfully… so occasionally, I would seek some sort of relief…" He explained, looking down at the covers.

Still a little tipsy, Amy giggled. "'Relief'. What a wonderful choice of word."

Sheldon glared at her and then felt uncomfortable again. The events of the previous hour were dragging him down, feeling like a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Amy stared at him, serious now. "What are we going to do now?"

He stared back, completely confused and uncertain. "I don't know… I never thought I'd have to deal with this. Ever." He paused, looking for the right words. "Amy… in the interest of full disclosure, there's something I need to tell you."

"Yes?"

He gulped and took a deep breath, wondering if he would regret this. "Engaging with coitus with you scares the living hell out of me. I find myself worried that my strong aversion to physical contact and germs will suddenly rear its ugly head… and I won't be able to go through with it." He breathed again. "Despite this, every single time I touch you, or kiss you, I don't feel disgusted, I don't feel all that frightened… instead, I often find myself wanting more…"

His comments made her breath catch in her chest, and she held it as he continued. "I don't know if we'll ever engage in coitus… but I do know that it's no longer an aspect of our relationship that I would turn down should the right moment come along…"

Amy didn't know what to say in response. Instead, she leant across and gently kissed him, and felt him kiss her back tenderly. She rolled over and felt him wrap his arms around her body, holding her close.

* * *

><p>During the night, all hell broke loose.<p>

Sheldon awoke to the sound of Amy crying out, thrashing in the sheets violently. She kicked and pushed his arms away, sobbing and backing herself up to the headboard.

"No, please, don't… don't do this… please, Dad, don't…"

Sheldon panicked, hearing those words coming from her. Not once throughout their entire relationship had Amy mentioned her father, and this did not sound good. In the pitch black of the night, he couldn't see her, and desperately felt about for her form, finding her legs, drawn up to her chest.

"Please, _please, _don't do this…"

He rubbed her leg, trying to calm her, and instead seemed to distress her further, kicking his hand away and toppling to the floor, backing up to the wall. Sheldon fumbled for the lamp, switching it on, and was instantly at her side.

"Amy? Amy? Are you alright?" She was awake now, attempting to find her bearings, squinting around the room. There was a small gash across her forehead, which was beginning to bleed, and Sheldon felt nauseous. "Oh my, you're bleeding…"

Rushing to the bathroom, he damped a cloth and returned to dab at it gently. Amy put her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, large, heavy tears falling from them. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered, bringing a shaky hand to her lips.

Sheldon didn't respond; he cleaned up her wound and tucked one hand under her knees and another behind her back, lifting her onto the bed. She protested instantly. "Don't lift me, I'm too heavy, you'll hurt yourself –"

"Stop it." He said simply, laying her back down. Running a hand through his hair, he began to feel anxious about the blood that could be on his hands, and raced to the bathroom to wash them. Walking back to the bed, he found Amy, curled up in the fetal position, more tears trickling down her face.

"I never wanted you to have to see that… I'm so sorry…" She choked, covering her eyes with her hand.

Sheldon sat beside her, pulling the blankets over both of them. He frowned. "I said, stop it." He absently ran a hand over her hair, smoothly down the fly aways. "Amy, there's been a lot that I've had to admit to you about myself over these past couple of months… you need to tell me what's going on with these night terrors. Now."

Slowly, she pushed herself up and sat across from him, cross-legged. Wiping away another tear, she shook her head. "I can't…"

"I heard your cries, Amy," he said softly, meeting her eyes, "you were begging him to stop…"

She closed her eyes, incredibly ashamed. "Sheldon, please…"

He gave her a stern look and sighed. "I've trusted you, you need to trust me, too."

Numbing herself to it, taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. "My father was not a very nice man. He was a manipulative, cruel man, who preyed on myself and my mother…" She trailed off, swallowing the pain. "He was abusive, both mentally and physically."

Sheldon felt the all-too-familiar rage return to him; in a wave so strong it almost knocked him flat. "Where is he now?"

Amy's eyes were glassy, cold. "He's gone." She breathed again, and gave him a tiny smile. "None of it matters now."

Sheldon could tell that was all she was going to reveal this evening. It was fascinating to him – he had never cared for other people's personal affairs throughout his entire existence, and yet he wanted to know Amy's every secret. "I'm sorry…" He said quietly, unsure of what else to say. She nodded and looked away, lost in her own thoughts.

Suddenly uncomfortable about the assertion of such feelings, he squirmed. "I could sing you Soft Kitty?"

Her face lit up; she had never heard Soft Kitty – she had only heard Penny talk about it. "I would love that."

He settled back down into the covers, and she lay beside him. Unsatisfied, he pulled her into a tight, nervous embrace, unwilling to let her go.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur… happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr…"

**Author's Note: **Please do not forget to review - I am incredibly appreciative of the feedback, especially given the new revealations regarding Amy. Again - apologies for the angst - it was time for a little. Promise it won't happen much more! Review... or I won't write! =P


	19. Chapter 19

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alrighty – chapter nineteen! Wow, flying through them! This one is another 'filler' I suppose… a bit more character interaction, a bit more back story… it's setting up for brighter things though, do not despair. Also – I have had a lot of requests for (eh hem) 'coitus'; I encourage you to continue reading as I promise that this matter will be dealt with eventually – just not willing to throw them in the deep end. Anyway – enough of my carry on – please read and REVIEW!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 19**

"_Rocket man! And I think it's gonna be a long long time…_" Howard sang along with his ring tone, extracting his phone from his pocket and using it temporarily as an air guitar. "Sup?"

Bernadette rolled her eyes at her childish husband and roughly pressed the elevator button for ground floor. She could hear Raj's heavy accent echoing through the phone. "Fruit Loops! What's up?"

Howard growled at his friend and gave his wife a sheepish smile. "Clearly it's Rocket Man, now what do you want?"

"Where are you, dude? I've been waiting down here for like half an hour and all of the good buffet food is almost gone." He responded, and Howard juggled the phone under his ear, tugging at his costume and adjusting his shield.

"We're on our way down now, see you in a minute." He said, and hung up, mumbling a number of curses at his friend.

Bernadette gave him a cheeky smile. "Still can't shake Fruit Loops, huh?"

Howard pursed his lips. "Nope. The trip is less than a month away and here I am being named after a coloured breakfast cereal that could be mistaken for candy… thanks, Mom…"

The elevator came to a stop and they stepped out, Howard heading for the restaurant. Bernadette looked around and pulled him behind a tall, brightly coloured feature plant. "Howie… you promised me that after the wedding we would look for a place to live, just the two of us. I know we've been hunting around, and we want to find the right place, but I was really hoping that we would find somewhere before you went away…"

Howard sighed and grasped one of her hands in his own. He just wanted to get to the buffet. "Honey, we can't just go rushing into a decision… besides, it'll be fine – you can have my whole room to yourself, and there's plenty to do…"

She shot him a dark look. "I am not sharing that house with your mother with you gone; I'm going to be having a hard enough time worrying about you let alone having to deal with her as well." She sighed again. "I agreed to come and live with you and your mother under the terms that we would find a place, and you know I gave up my apartment for that – I don't have anywhere else to go now."

He looked into her pretty eyes and felt dreadful; he had promised her. Rubbing a hand across his masked face, he took a deep breath. "Alright. When we get back home, let's find something; even if it's just a little apartment that we rent while we're still looking."

Bernadette brightened, and gave him a smile. "Okay."

They stepped out from behind the plant and headed for the restaurant. Howard snuck a glance at her. "But you know we'll still have to go stay with my mother occasionally…"

She glared at him and scowled. At the entrance to the hotel's restaurant, they met Leonard and Penny, who were bickering ferociously.

"Come on Penny – don't deny that you were flirting with that guy last night, I was right there and –"

Rubbing her temples, dark circles under her eyes, Penny huffed. "Leonard, I am not going to tell you again; I was not flirting with that drunk guy. He was being overly friendly and I just let him down easy, it's obvious that you got the wrong impression –"

"Oh, so what, now it's _my _fault? You are such a hypocrite you know that – it's no wonder he was all over you with the way you looked yesterday!" Leonard argued, snatching a menu from the waiter's hand.

Penny rolled her head back and groaned. "You said you _liked _my costume – and I think that was pretty damn evident last night –"

Behind them, Bernadette cleared her throat. "Good morning!"

They both mumbled an irritated reply, heading to opposite sides of the table. Penny crossed her arms and glared at her boyfriend.

Howard gave them a tight-lipped smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Trouble in paradise, huh?"

Bernadette promptly elbowed him in the ribs and back peddled. "Well, doesn't this look lovely?" She looked about for their single friend, who had been waiting patiently. "Where's Raj?"

Howard pointed across to the buffet, where he was piling food atop his plate. Leonard stood abruptly. "Think I'll go join him…"

Bernadette took a seat beside Penny and looked at her sympathetically. "What's up with you two?"

Howard moved awkwardly toward the buffet. "Uh… I'll go, too…"

With the three boys gone, Penny groaned and put her head in her hands. "He's driving me _insane!_"

Bernadette bit her lip, concerned for her friend. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" She began, slumping into her seat. "Everything was fine until later last night, he went all weird and started accusing me of flirting with some guy who said hello to me at the bar… and now he's been grumpy ever since… and I have a hangover. This is not my day…"

"Maybe he was just jealous," Bernadette reasoned, leaning her elbow on the table, "you _did _look especially alluring last night…"

"Well, yeah, he pretty well cleared that up once we got back to our room…" Penny shook her head, stumped. "I don't know what's gotten into him…"

The three boys took their seats, and silently began digging into their food. Bernadette pulled Penny out of her seat and they headed over to the buffet. Taking a plate each, they lined up. Penny eyed the fresh fruit and toast, screwing up her nose. "Think I need something greasy…"

Bernadette giggled and let her past to help herself to the bacon and eggs. Suddenly Penny turned back, a grin on her face. "Oh, my God – I completely forgot to tell you; you will never guess what happened last night!"

Picking up a small tub of jam and a croissant, Bernadette tilted her head. "What?"

"Sheldon and Amy almost had _sex!_ Can you believe it?" Penny gossiped, taking a knife and fork and heading back to their table.

"No? Seriously?" Bernadette shook her head in astonishment. "What happened?"

Penny shrugged. "Don't know, she just messaged me last night to say they almost had and that she stopped it. She said she'd tell me this morning, so once the guys have gone we'll quiz her."

Bernadette pulled out her chair and tucked her floral skirt underneath her, taking a seat. "I can't believe it…"

Penny nodded, shoveling a rasher of bacon into her mouth. She looked around and frowned. "Where are they anyway?"

On cue, Sheldon came around the corner in his bright yellow and blue costume, complete with long claws, followed closely by a tired looking Amy. "Good morning!"

The group mumbled a round of greetings and resumed their breakfast. Amy – who was clad in her grey tracksuit – took a seat across from Bernadette, sighing.

Sheldon frowned. "Well, that was an extremely underwhelming response considering it is the final day of Comic Con! Where's the excitement, the enthusiasm?" He looked around the restaurant and huffed. "Buffet breakfast? Oh, no. How on earth can one guarantee the sanitary condition of the food in question in an environment where the public has complete access – potentially using their own soiled utensils to put food on their plates, or scrape back the remnants they don't want, or –"

Amy stood back up and grabbed his arm, dragging him toward the buffet. "Come on, I'll show you how it's done."

Sheldon groaned in protest as she steered him to the line and handed him a plate. Awkwardly, he attempted to take it from her, claws clanging against the china. Amy couldn't help but laugh and set the plate back down.

"Come here…" She said, and he held out his arms to her. Tugging at the long claws, she pulled off the blue gloves and handed them back to him. "No claws at the table."

He gave her a tiny smirk and shook his head. She passed him a plate. "Now, what do you feel like for breakfast?"

"Well, let's see… it's a Sunday… Sundays I usually have lightly browned toast with butter and jam…" He looked down at the limited bread remaining in the basket, looking mangled and crumbly. "It's alright, Amy, I'll just buy something out of the vending machine over at the convention centre –"

Amy wasn't listening, instead she was waiving over a waiter. The young gentlemen came over quickly, and gave her a smile. "How can I help you?"

She smiled sweetly in response, mimicking something she had seen Penny do before. "I was just wondering if you could please arrange some fresh slices of bread for my friend and I… there's not quite enough here…"

"Of course, ma'am." The waiter said, and he buzzed off to attend to her request. Amy smiled triumphantly and looked over at Sheldon, who was looking from the waiter to Amy and back again.

"What did you just do?" He asked, utterly confused by the odd interaction.

Amy considered her response, tilting her head to one side. "I exerted my highly appealing feminine abilities. Penny taught me."

Sheldon glared at the back of Penny's head. "She is a bad influence on you…"

The waiter returned, a plate of freshly sliced bread in his hand. He grinned at her and passed it across. "There you are, ma'am."

"Thank you." Amy responded, giving him another friendly smile. He eyed her for a moment, and then wandered off to attend to other guests. Moving across, she slid a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster, and organised the spreads. Sheldon stared at her, still confused.

"You are mysterious, Amy Farrah Fowler." He said earnestly, watching her ponytail bobble as she fixed him his breakfast. The small red gash along her forehead caught his eye. "How's your head?"

She stiffened at the question, the memory of the previous night rushing back to her. "It's fine." She passed him the plate, loaded with toast, and gave him a tiny smile.

"Thank you." He said, following her back over to their table. The remainder of the group was quiet, finishing their meal, distracted by their own thoughts.

"Okay, ladies," Bernadette chirped, eager to boost the mood, "what are we gonna get up to today?"

Penny glared down the table to Leonard, who was stabbing at his cereal aggressively. "I don't know, Bernie, maybe we could do some shopping… oh wait, no – that's right! I can't be around other people or I might just spontaneously start flirting with random men!"

Leonard clunked his spoon on the edge of the bowl. "What is your problem today –"

"What is _my_ problem? What is _your _problem? You're the one who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, accusing me of doing things I didn't do –" Penny cried, pointing at him.

Amy rubbed a hand across her face and sighed. She looked across at Bernadette and ignored the ongoing argument. "Shopping sounds lovely."

Sheldon tossed the half eaten piece of toast back onto his plate in frustration. "Would you two _please_ cease your hideous bickering?"

"_Please._" Howard added, holding up his shield playfully.

Leonard and Penny gave Sheldon a reproachful look and returned to silence. Huffing, Penny addressed her girl friends. "Yes, shopping sounds great." She glanced back up from her plate, frowning. "Ames, what happened to your head?"

"Oh, nothing of interest – just a silly accident." Amy said quickly, taking a bite out of her own toast.

Nodding knowingly, Penny smirked. "An accident. Right…" Her eyes darted to Sheldon. "Nothing too serious I hope?"

Sheldon looked at Amy, who was evidently trying to cover up the events of the previous night, and then back to Penny, who was giving him some sort of strange suggestive face. "No, nothing serious…" He murmured, completely confused.

"Hey, yeah – why were you two so late down this morning? And how come you bailed on us so early last night?" Leonard piped, suddenly intrigued by the conversation.

Howard leant forward, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, Sheldon, why?"

Sheldon tilted his head a little higher, straightening his back. "Amy and I were quite exhausted from our busy day yesterday, so we decided to call it a night."

Amy sat back in her seat, playing with the zipper on her top. "And this morning _someone_ was having a little trouble getting into their costume…"

"Excuse me – I have had this costume for a number of years now and it had not occurred to me that I may have… grown out of it." Sheldon responded, watching as she tugged the zipper up and down absently.

Raj leant over to Howard's ear and they both chuckled. "Yeah, maybe he needed some assistance getting into it –" Howard wriggled his eyebrows at his friends. "Or maybe she needed some help getting out of hers!"

Sheldon felt his cheeks heat up and he grew defensive. "I'll have you know that Amy was perfectly capable of getting out of her own costume –"

Penny shook her head. "Sweetie, you're digging the hole deeper."

Leonard, Howard and Raj continued their sniggering and stood to leave. The remainder of the group followed suit, heading out into the foyer.

"Alright – well we'll come back to our respective rooms at three o'clock, pack up and then we'll begin our journey home. Make sure you're ready by then." Sheldon recapped, turning to Amy as she was the only one listening. Penny was chatting to Bernadette, deliberately ignoring Leonard, who was standing with Raj and Howard, checking his phone.

Amy nodded. "Sounds great. Have fun."

Sheldon gave her his lop-sided smile and turned to walk out, then promptly turned back on his heel toward her again. Awkwardly, nervously, he bent his neck to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You too."

Amy felt goosebumps rise on her skin and her heart fluttered - their first sign of public affection. Penny and Bernadette gaped at her, and she bit her lip, raising a hand to the spot.

The four boys exited the foyer and Amy stood, motionless. Bernadette broke the silence with a squeal. "Oh my God, Amy!"

"What have you done with the real Sheldon?" Penny joked, propelling both of her friends toward the lift.

Amy shook her head slowly, still a little shocked. "I… I don't know…"

The trio entered the lift and instantly Bernadette and Penny began bombarding Amy with questions.

"What happened last night?"

"Did he initiate it? Did you?"

"How far did you get?"

"Why did you stop?"

Amy looked, wide-eyed, from one girl friend to the other. "Umm…"

They headed for Leonard and Penny's room, and once inside, sat Amy on the bed and continued to pester her with questions.

"So, tell us, how'd it happen?"

"Did you like it? Will it happen again?"

Amy held up a hand to silence them. "Ladies, please – one question at a time! Well… after Sheldon's short confrontation with Kripke, he took me up to our room and became distressed, stating that he was afraid of losing me… and then he kissed me."

Bernadette cooed and laid out flat on her stomach, holding her chin in her hands. "And then…?"

Amy paused, grabbing a pillow from behind her to hug. "We 'made-out', as Penny would put it, and then I took off my top and –"

Penny came across from the bar fridge with a packet of chips and a bag of chocolates. "You _what?_"

Amy shrugged, embarrassed. "Have I given away too much?"

Penny shook her head adamantly and plopped beside her on the bed, legs crossed. "No, you haven't spilled enough! So you wound up topless, yeah…"

Amy took a deep breath and bit her lip, smiling at the memory. "And then he touched me… and ground up against me…" She giggled, letting her emotions escape. "It was wild!"

Bernadette giggled in response and let her head fall into her hands. "Wow, I really never thought that Sheldon would do that…"

Beside her, Penny was musing over Amy's story. "So he touched you how? Like he did in Salt Lake City or…?"

The brunette shrugged. "Yeah, like he did in Salt Lake City…"

Penny nodded. "And, there were no further advancements…?"

Amy tilted her head, a little confused. "If you're asking whether or I touched his penis the answer is no. Like I said, I stopped it before it went any further."

Bernadette gaped at her, shaking her head. "Why? This is _Sheldon_ we're talking about here; you might not get another opportunity!"

"Well… I was considerably intoxicated and he had consumed a drink or two… and that's not how I want it to happen. If it ever happens." Amy paused, recalling Sheldon's new found interest in sex.

"It'll happen, sweetie, don't you worry." Penny soothed, munching on a chip.

"Sheldon actually revealed something else last night…" Amy began, and the two girls eyed her carefully. "He told me that he is no longer averse to the idea of coitus… and should the right moment come along, he said he would take the opportunity."

Penny choked on the chips she had been crunching and coughed, covering her mouth. "Holy crap on a cracker!"

Rather than looking excited, or even pleased, Bernadette looked concerned. "Amy – I highly doubt that a man like Sheldon is going to be wandering around with a condom in his wallet… have you considered contraception?"

Penny regained her breath and turned to Amy. "Oh, yeah, you don't wanna forget that – trust me…"

Amy pursed her lips. She had never had any need to consider contraception, and had assumed she never would. "No, I haven't. But Sheldon's not stupid; he wouldn't let something like that happen –"

Bernadette raised her eyebrows at her friend. "I agree, but if the two of you do decide to have sex and it's spur of the moment, won't you need to be protected?"

Sighing, Amy slumped her shoulders. "What should I do?"

"You'll need to consider your options… there's plenty out there!" Bernadette replied.

"Leonard and I use condoms, but that doesn't always work for everyone," Penny added, and then scowled, "although at this rate he won't be touching me ever again…"

Amy stretched out on the bed, glad that the spotlight had been taken off her. "What's going on with the two of you?"

Penny shrugged and passed the chips to Bernadette. "I don't know. Leonard's acting so weird, ever since we got here… he seems really pissed off about something, and kind of distracted… who knows, huh?"

Amy watched her best friend, sensing that she was upset. "Maybe you should talk to him?"

Bernadette nodded. "That would probably be a good start…"

"I'll try to speak to him tonight when we get back home, though I don't know if he'll want to…" Penny replied.

Amy had an idea. "It has come to my attention that spending money on materialistic items such as clothing and shoes seems to negate the troubles in one's life temporarily… I believe it is referred to as 'retail therapy'. Shall we engage in this social activity?"

"Yep," Bernadette said, hopping off the bed, "let's go!"

* * *

><p>The group were closing in on their home town of Pasadena, exhausted from a weekend of frivolity and drama. After a long day of shopping, the girls had arrived back to their hotel, greeted happily by the boys who were packed and ready to go. Within no time, they were back on the road and heading for home.<p>

Amy was tired. The events of the night prior had left her feeling emotionally drained and preoccupied with her own personal dramas, and as she looked to the road ahead, she sighed heavily. The gash on her forehead ached where it had come into contact with the sharp corner of her nightstand, and was a constant reminder of other tender wounds that just didn't want to heal.

She had spent so long, tried so hard, blocking out the memories of her tainted past, to a point where she could live in a universe where they did not exist. For every hit her mother had endured, for every cry she had heard, she had stripped herself bare and started again – but she didn't want to it again, not this time.

It had been months, perhaps years, since she had last reflected on her childhood. She knew her night terrors still ran rampant, but she lived alone and never awoke to someone retelling her own story, until the night before. Sheldon had seen it all; her vulnerability, her weakness, and she couldn't hide any more.

Glancing across to the seat beside her, she caught Sheldon staring at her intently, and he averted his eyes back out the window anxiously. "You're awfully quiet, Amy."

"Sorry, just a bit tired…" She mumbled, flicking on the windscreen wipers as rain began to tap against the glass. "How you doing back there, bestie?"

Penny looked up from her bright pink pillow, hair matted against the side of her head. After refusing to travel with Leonard, she and Raj had switched with Howard and Bernadette, much to Sheldon's aggravation. "Oh, just great. I've spent the past hour attempting to play eye spy with a guy who can't speak to me, a guy who makes the things we're supposed to be spying ridiculously hard and a best friend who is clearly distracted by her own thoughts." She replied grumpily, blowing a strand of messy blonde hair from her face. "You?"

"Umm… fine, thank you."

The remainder of the drive continued on silently, Sheldon offering the occasion suggestion of a game, and Penny biting his head off each time. Finally, Amy pulled up in front of Sheldon, Leonard and Penny's apartment building, Raj bailing out to catch up with Howard and Leonard as they headed up the stairs. Penny groaned and grabbed her bag, following them.

Sheldon looked at Amy, listening to the idling engine. "Aren't you going to park?"

She shook her head. "No, I think I'll just head home. It's been a long day."

"Oh," Sheldon unbuckled his seat belt, surprised, "alright, then."

Amy smiled, touching his arm gently. "Thank you for a wonderful weekend, again."

He smiled back, looking into her eyes. _Those eyes_. "My pleasure."

Reaching for the door handle, he felt her grip a little tighter on his arm, and he turned back to face her. Quickly, lightly, she stole a kiss from him, pecking him gently on the lips. "Goodnight, Sheldon."

* * *

><p>In Penny's apartment, she was waiting nervously for the arrival of her boyfriend. They had bickered in the past – often, in fact – but something was different. Something was wrong.<p>

She took a seat on her couch and ran her fingers through her hair. They had agreed to take things slow, and everything had been going so well; being with Leonard felt natural, perfect. She felt complete, proud and more beautiful than ever.

Without knocking, Leonard let himself in and closed the door, not moving from the entrance to her apartment, arms folded across his chest. "You said you wanted to see me?"

His cool demeanor, his dismissive attitude was worrying her, and she didn't want to fight. "Yeah…" She took a deep breath. "Leonard, what's going on?"

Curtly, he shrugged. "What do you mean 'what's going on'?"

"What's going on with _us?_" She pressed, clasping her hands together in her lap.

"You know very well what's going on." Leonard argued. "I can't believe that you're even asking me. This doesn't surprise me at all."

Penny shook her head, upset and growing angry. "What?"

He pointed at her accusingly. "You… you think you're way too good for me, but that's an easy fix, you'll just go and find some other guy to lure in –"

She leapt out of her chair and stood meters from him, their eyes level. "Leonard, what the hell are you talking about? How can you say something like that? You know I feel like _I'm_ not good enough for _you_, not the other way around!"

Penny could feel her heart racing in her chest; this was not like Leonard. He glared at her, unable to find a good response. "You know, maybe giving this another try wasn't such a good idea. I can't stand to see you trying to get the attention of other men, it sickens me."

She felt like she had been stabbed in the chest, tears springing to her eyes. That was cruel. "Leonard, please –" He headed for the door, but she wasn't going down without a fight. "Why the fuck would ever want to hurt the man I love –"

Leonard froze, hand still on the door knob. Turning slowly, he eyed her, a shocked expression on his face. "The man you what…?"

"The man I what?" Penny repeated, falling back into the couch, stunned. "The man I love… oh, God…" She burst into tears, holding her head in her hands.

Leonard couldn't take it any longer; it destroyed him to see her cry. He rushed to her side and bundled her in his arms. "Hey, hey… it's okay… Penny, I'm sorry…"

She curled up into his arms, sobbing harder, and buried her face into his neck. Her home. "No, Leonard, _I'm _sorry, I should have told you, but I didn't know and I –"

He silenced her with his lips, pressing them hard up against his own, pleading for her forgiveness. When he broke away, she was quiet and he spoke softly. "Listen to me Penny… I'm so sorry. These last few days, I've watched you… you're so damn beautiful and kind and funny and all of the things a man wants. I saw the way those guys were looking at you and I started to get so scared… I don't want to lose you again…"

Penny wiped away an escaping tear with her sleeve. "You're not going to lose me Leonard. You're the only one I want, and apparently, the only one I love," She paused, catching his eyes. "I love you, Leonard."

He felt the air being sucked from his lungs and a huge grin spread across his face. With her hair a matted mess, eyes stained with run mascara and one of his old jumpers on, she was perfect. It felt like he'd been waiting an eternity to hear those words. "I love you, too, Penny."

She smiled at him, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her forehead. Their babies would be smart and beautiful…

* * *

><p>Across the hall, a certain tall genius was growing anxious.<p>

It was now midnight, his friends had left hours earlier, and Sheldon was sitting on his bed, still waiting to hear from Amy. She had dropped them home at six, and he had sent her numerous text messages, tried video calling her several times and had lost count of how many times he had tried to call her since. What was going on?

He was incredibly worried for her safety – what if she had been involved in a fiery car crash, and was now lying, alone, in a hospital bed? What if an assailant had been waiting for her in her apartment when she arrived home and had abducted her?

What if she had run from him, scared off by his advancements and the revelation of her past?

Tossing back the covers, Sheldon pulled on his deep purple pants, The Flash t-shirt and jacket. He was going to see her, he would catch a cab if that's what it took – he just couldn't stand to be kept waiting any longer.

Descending the stairs, he exited the building and hailed a cab, standing in the pouring rain. He told the driver to rush to Amy's apartment, he would pay extra. He finally found himself at her door, and pushed the key into the hole, turning it and quietly opening the door.

The lights were on, her bags from their trip tossed onto the couch. He called out, wary that she could be taking another bath. "Amy?"

When he heard no response, he headed for the bathroom, but she wasn't there. The last resort was her bedroom, which he checked as well.

She was gone.

* * *

><p>Miles away, Amy was driving in the pouring rain, speeding along the highway. She had the music cranked loud, and the water hit her wind shield in sheets, blurring her vision. It was so late, and she was so tired, but she was almost there.<p>

Taking a few short turns, she pulled up, tugging the hand break and stepping out into the cold, wet weather. Tugging the jacket closer around her body, she shivered and stepped out onto the vast expanse of land, feeling the mud under shoes.

She would finish this, once and for all.

"Hey, Dad."

**Author's Note: **Here I am saying that I don't do end notes and I've done it for the past three chapters… oh well! Just a quick HUGE thank you to all of my readers and reviewers – I have passed 150 and that is such an honour, thank you! Gives my ego a rather large boost, I must say. Thanks again, and don't forget to review.


	20. Chapter 20

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay chapter twenty! Wow! Sorry this is a little later coming, I had some major writer's block and about a million loads of washing to do. Anyway – it is here now; I have scaled back on the angst because in all honesty angst is just not what this story is about. I really, really hope that everyone enjoys this chapter – I have put a lot of thought in to keep it in the feel of the story and the show as best possible. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to REVIEW!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 20**

Sloshing through the sticky, thick mud and brushing past the overgrown, wispy weeds, Amy panted, rain matting her hair to her shoulders in a tangled mess.

The darkness of the night sky was enveloping, swallowing her whole. She swung the heavy torch in her hand, shining out across the undulating expanse of land, jittering under her sodden jacket.

Finally, she stopped.

The shock, the heartache, hit her like a blow to the stomach, and she fell to her knees, cracking on the solid, cold stone beneath her. Tears, so many tears.

"Hey, Dad."

Eyes closed, she went back. Back to the cries, back to the hatred, the criticisms… the relief mixed with blinding fury for the selfish act he had committed… the way she found him…

A new strength, new life, surged through her veins and she picked herself up again, facing him, facing it all. On her own.

"I don't forgive you, but I forgive myself."

* * *

><p>In the early hours of the very next morning, Sheldon awoke violently on Amy's couch, shocked out of his deep sleep by unfamiliar surroundings and anxious recollection of Amy's absence.<p>

He looked around the darkened room, dazed, and reached for his phone. Still no calls, no messages, nothing. His heart would not stop racing, the anxiety tearing through him. Running a hand over his now-messy hair, he stiffly sat up and stretched.

Perhaps he would need to involve the police. Perhaps she had fled Pasadena in a state of panic, scared off by his sudden physical appeal toward her. Perhaps she was with another man…

Anger boiled within him at the thought; Amy was his. Imagining her with another man, a man who made her smile, laugh, touched her, had intercourse with her… it was too much to bear. She was _his_.

His thoughts were interrupted by the jingle of keys and the clunk of her door, and he jumped up, alarmed. It swung open and Amy slipped inside, closing it behind her and leaning against the doorframe.

"Amy?"

She looked a mess, soaked to the bone with mud streaked up her legs and across her face and chest. He could see she was shaking violently from her cold, drenched clothing, and raced to her, grasping her shoulders. "Amy, what happened? Where have you been?"

Amy looked up at him, stunned by his presence. "Why are you here, Sheldon?"

Sheldon felt the frustration, the stress of the evening rise within him and he shook his head. "I hadn't heard from you in hours, and when I came to your apartment you weren't here – do you have _any_ idea just how concerned I have been?"

"I'm sorry, Sheldon…" She stuttered, lips blue and struggling for breath.

"Sorry? _Sorry? _All it would have taken was a message, a phone call, and you could have diffused this situation easily. Coming over here to search for you has caused me a major inconvenience; the lack of communication on your part rendering me unable to sleep, and you are well aware that I have important work to attend to at Caltech in a few hours!" He burst, allowing him to pour out all of the emotion he had been experiencing over the hours she had been missing.

Hurt by his selfish words, Amy shrugged his hands off her shoulders roughly and pushed past him. "Well, I'm sorry I am such a burden. I'm here now, you can leave; get back to your own life."

Sheldon wasn't finished, and he continued on recklessly. "How could you do that to me, Amy? I had no idea where you were, and you just walk back in here, saturated and covered in mud with no explanation and expect me to just 'get back to my own life'?"

His words were burning into her, scolding her, and she closed her eyes, begging for composure. Ignoring him, she gingerly attempted to peel away her coat, feeling herself weakening by the second.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

She rounded on him, exploding. "I'll tell you what I have to say for myself, Sheldon – you come here, worried sick for me, and try to cover it up with some bullshit about it inconveniencing you? Do you know what that says to me? It says you're too fucking scared to admit your own emotions, and too damn selfish to care about anyone else that may effect!"

"Well – I – I…"

Amy cut him off, shaking her head. "You know what? You should get out, because I can do this on my own."

"WELL I CAN'T!" He roared, and she shriveled back, frightened. "I can't."

It was too much. She felt her knees give way beneath her and her vision blurred, and all she felt were warm arms around her before she collapsed to the floor.

"Oh, God, Amy…" Sheldon held her tight to his chest, her shuddering body freezing against his. He pulled off her grey jacket in an attempt to get the wet garments off her, only to find that she was completely soaked through. Grabbing his jacket from the back of her couch, he wrapped her in it and smoothed away her dripping hair from her face.

She looked up at him through heavy eyelids. "Sheldon, I…"

He hushed her, and, tucking his arms under her knees, he carried her to the bathroom, setting her down against the edge of the bathtub. She shivered again and watched as he pulled of her shoes and socks, avoiding her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Sheldon maintained his gaze on his own hands, which were now reaching for the waistband of her tracksuit pants. "You need to get out of these wet clothes and into a warm bath, before you get sick."

"Sheldon, you don't have to do this…" She said quietly, sensing his discomfort, his panic. He ignored her, and dutifully slid her pants down her legs and tossed them aside. Focusing on her health, he tore his eyes from her bare legs and proceeded to her tank top, tugging it over her head in one swift movement.

Amy drew her knees closer to her, feeling so vulnerable, so helpless, sitting in her undergarments, trembling. Sheldon exhaled loudly and reached for her panties, brushing his hand along her thigh as he did. He hooked his finger underneath the edge, but Amy wrapped her hand around his wrist, stopping him.

"Stop, Sheldon," she whispered; trying to capture his eyes, "I can do this."

Finally, he looked at her. "No, I have to help you, I have to…"

"It's okay…" She soothed, rubbing her thumb across his wrist absently. He closed his eyes and his breathing hitched, struggling to bury his emotions. "Go, I'll meet you out there."

Nodding numbly, Sheldon headed back out and took a seat on her couch, waiting for her to return.

* * *

><p>Almost half an hour later, Amy immerged from the bathroom feeling far warmer and looking far less blue. She took a seat beside her boyfriend, who was seemingly lost in deep, inescapable thought, and took a deep breath. "Sheldon, I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier… I –"<p>

Sheldon looked to her, wrapped up once again in his jacket, and cut her off. "No, I'm the one who should apologise. I…" He paused, searching for the right words. "You were right, Amy, and I'm sorry."

Amy nodded and stared into her lap. None of this was supposed to happen this way. "Sheldon… I went to see my father."

Blue eyes snapped up to her own. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, I went to his grave," she breathed, "I went to see my father's grave site."

Sheldon looked down at her hands, which were tugging at the base of his jacket against her bare legs. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to know, whilst at the same time he didn't want to find out a thing. "Why didn't you ask me to accompany you?" He asked quietly.

Amy took a deep breath. "I spent so much of my life allowing my past, allowing him, to get the better of me – to affect everything I did. When I met you, I decided I was going to write that chapter out of my life; pretend it never happened… and I did. It wasn't until the other night that I realized that wasn't right, that wasn't healthy… I had to face it, for the last time, and I needed to do that alone." She paused, swallowing the burn in her throat. "My father was not a special man, he had no underlying excuse to treat my mother and I the way he did… the constant emotional torture, the fear of speaking to only receive a black eye… and one day, he took his own life, and I found him."

Sheldon felt his blood run cold and reached for her hand. What more could he do?

"My mother screamed, she cried for days, but I couldn't help her, I was never able to help her." She choked lightly and caught a tiny tear that insisted on falling. "I was happy, Sheldon, for the first time in a long time."

Sheldon sat perfectly still, feeling his emotions run rampant within him. The pain this man had caused Amy was beyond his imagination, and it left him feeling heavy, angry, disgusted. How could anyone harm something so perfect?

"I went to see my father tonight to tell him that I don't forgive him, but that I forgive myself for allowing him to ruin so much of my life." Taking a deep breath, she gave him a small, brave smile. "I've never felt so damn free."

He couldn't handle it any longer – reaching across, he bundled her into his arms and let her cry.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Amy rolled over in her bed, warm, bright sunlight tingling her body through the venetian blinds. Stretching out an arm, she felt amongst the covers for her bedfellow, then recalled he had left for work not long ago, telling her he would see her at his apartment that night for dinner. And he had kissed her, a tiny, innocent peck on the lips.<p>

She closed her eyes and took a deep, long breath. The scent of him still lingered in the sheets, and she felt at home. Feeling the sun hit her face, she felt brighter, safer, happier than she ever had before.

She felt reborn, renewed.

Sheldon had brought her so much peace, so much joy… and he didn't even know it. For the first time in her life, she had friends around her that loved her for _her_, a family, and she felt complete. She felt more beautiful, more confident than ever, and thought back to the recent times when Sheldon had kissed her, touched her…

Finally, time alone. He _wanted _her. He was no longer opposed to the idea of engaging in intercourse with her. All it would take was some light seducing and he would yield…

Sitting up, she frowned. She wasn't one for pushing Sheldon into something he wasn't ready for, but each time they had engaged in some sort of physical contact it had been by coincidence. How could she seduce him successfully, all on her own?

Reaching for her phone, she called upon the Queen of Seduction herself.

"Hey, bestie, are you free? I need to come over…"

* * *

><p>"Alright gentlemen," Sheldon announced, sliding his tray out of his way and pulling out a notepad and pen, "it's time to perform our annual Comic Con superior event poll, I presume you all recall how this works and what it leads to."<p>

Leonard groaned and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Sheldon, of course we recall how it works – we all discuss and collectively vote for the most appealing and interesting event that took place at Comic Con for that specific year – once we reach a conclusion you write a detailed ten thousand word report on the matter and submit it to the Comic Con members board."

"Well, thank you, Leonard, for recapping the obvious." Sheldon huffed, clicking his pen. "Alright – let's begin with you, Dr. Koothrappali?"

Raj swallowed the huge mouthful of pasta he had just stuffed in his mouth and considered his response. "Hmm… my number one would have to be seeing Amy as Catwoman…"

"Seconded." Howard added, holding up his fork.

Leonard smirked. "Thirded."

Sheldon glared at the three of his colleagues and shook his head scathingly. "Could the event possibly exclude the costume selection of my _girlfriend?"_

Raj reconsidered his answer. "Okay – how about when Catwoman punched Kripke in the nose?"

"Yep – I'm on board."

"Me too."

Sheldon closed his eyes and attempted to use Kolinahr to block out his frustration; a technique that had failed for him ever since Amy had kissed him. "The next person to select an event that includes Amy is going to be uninvited to this year's Who Con, and don't think I'm bluffing – Penny's already been delisted."

Howard snorted. "There's a _reason_ Penny's already been delisted."

Shrugging, Raj shoveled another spoonful of food into his mouth. "Sheldon, there's no shame in admitting that Amy looked nothing short of hot at Comic Con, it's just a fact -"

_Hot? _"That's it, you're out – no Who Con for you." Sheldon snapped.

"Sounds like someone is suffering from the effects of sexual frustration…" Howard commented quietly, ensuring he was well out of Sheldon's reach.

Leonard chuckled. "Yeah, and that can have a major impact on the quality of work one can put in…"

Sheldon glared at them. "Excuse me, but in what universe does sexual frustration effect one's ability to produce high quality results within the workplace?"

"In all of them." Leonard responded.

Howard leant forward, resting on his elbows. "Yeah, look, Sheldon – it's pretty obvious. Do the deed and you'll feel a lot better about it. Trust us."

"I'm sorry but 'doing the deed' has absolutely no impact on the standard of my work or my intellect, so I hold no interest in participating." Sheldon said stubbornly.

"That's a lie," Raj replied, "Penny told us that Amy told her that you want it."

"Darn those hens and their clucking…" Sheldon swore quietly, pushing his chair out grumpily. "For the record – I am _not _sexually frustrated."

Sheldon spun on his heel and headed out the double doors of the cafeteria. When he finally arrived in his office, he slammed the door shut and threw himself into his desk chair.

"Sexual frustration…" He huffed, reaching for a pen and getting back to his most recent project, a paper on condensed matter physics research.

Moment flew by, and he stared at the equations on his note pad, the numbers seemingly running around the page, teasing him. Frowning, he made an adjustment – an adjustment that was completely incorrect and unnecessary.

He groaned and put down his pen, resting his head in his hands. Could he truly be – as his friend's has put it – 'sexually frustrated'?

No. It wasn't possible. Even with the recent advancements within their relationship, and the occasional self-indulgence on his behalf, Sheldon was in complete control of his urges. They were of no value to his long-term goals – receiving a Nobel Prize, having cities named after him, taking over the world in the form of a highly advanced robot… they did not contribute to who he was as a person. Did they?

Submitting to his baser urges had become tempting in recent times, and he found himself thinking about Amy in ways his mother would condemn him for, but it had to be avoided. As he had told Amy; should the right moment come along, then perhaps…

He couldn't help but think back to the previous night in her bathroom, when he had stripped the clothes from her body. Never had he seen _so much_ of her flesh, and been so close to touching her…

Shaking his head, he sighed. The events of the evening prior had left his mind muddled, left him tired and emotionally worn. The revelation of Amy's past had hit him hard, and yet had relieved him… he finally felt like he knew her, inside out. He had held her whilst she cried, whilst she let go of the memories that had haunted her entire life…

He would help her. It was what he wanted. He wasn't quite sure why, but he did.

* * *

><p>Amy barged into Penny's apartment, flopping onto her couch. "Hey, bestie, I'm here!" She called, hearing the bedroom door shut behind her. Suddenly Penny threw herself at Amy, arms wrapped around her neck.<p>

"Hey Ames!" She chirped, releasing her surprised, smiling friend. "There's something I have to tell you…"

Amy tilted her head, this didn't sound good. "You're not pregnant are you?"

"No, no!" Penny waved her hand dismissively. "You'll never believe it – I told Leonard I loved him last night!"

"What?" Amy asked, perplexed. "The two of you were just fighting like cats and dogs… I don't understand –"

"I know, right?" She squealed, grinning from ear to ear. "We were fighting and it just came out… oh, Ames, I didn't even know…"

Amy was still digesting the information. "So… you told Leonard you loved him, after not even two years ago you dumped him for saying it to you prematurely?"

"Well… yeah! He told me he loved me, too." She smiled again, recalling the memory.

Amy gave her a smile in return. "I'm so happy for you! So, when's the wedding?"

Penny rolled her eyes, standing to pour them each a drink. "Who knows… maybe even soon…" She shook her head at herself. "I cannot believe I said that."

Laughing, Amy followed her to the kitchen, taking a seat in a bar stool across from her. "Neither can I…" She paused, watching the alcohol trickle into the glass, "Penny, I need your help with something… well, two things actually…"

Penny eyed her suspiciously. "Yes…?"

Amy bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "I want to… seduce Sheldon."

Spluttering on her drink, Penny nodded. "Okay… well that's a tough one! Where did this come from? By the sounds of it, you've been doing a mighty fine job all on your own…"

Amy shrugged. "Well… all of these moments we've had together recently have just sort of happened, and now that he's said he's willing to give intercourse a try, I want to be as… prepared as I can be to aid his desire."

Penny stifled a laugh at her friend's select words. "Alright, sure. You remember when I taught you all about flirting correct?"

Amy batted her eyelids at Penny, smiling. "Of course."

The blonde giggled. "Well, it's just an extension of that, really. Obviously, you need to be wearing some sexy lingerie in preparation… but ultimately you've just got to appeal to his manly side. If he has one."

"How?"

Penny mulled over her response; Sheldon was not the average man. "Tease him. Show him what he's missing… entice him. You need to be suggestive, alluring… you know."

Amy frowned. She had begun dressing more freely, and was gradually learning what excited Sheldon, but could hardly imagine herself being alluring. Penny saw the concern on his face. "You're hot, and I'll give you plenty of tips, don't worry – and if all else fails, get the Catwoman costume out."

Amy laughed. "You think I'm hot, huh?"

Penny drew her eyebrows up at her, well aware of where she was going. "Amy…"

"It's alright, don't get your panties in a twist, I'm just kidding around." Amy sighed, taking a sip of her drink. "On a more serious note, there's something else I need your help with. I need you to get me into Leonard and Sheldon's apartment, while no one's home."

Penny looked at her quizzically. "Well that's easy done, I have a key… why?"

"There's something I need to organize for Sheldon…" Amy began, and told Penny her plan.

* * *

><p>Bernadette stood out the front of the tall, dark grey building, hands resting in the deep pockets of her bright red coat. The old, rusted doors of the gloomy building swung open and shut, people racing in and out constantly. She waited patiently in the sunlight, until her caller arrived.<p>

Amy hopped out of her car and rushed over to Bernadette, embracing her petite friend in a tight hug. "Thank you so much for meeting me, I just wasn't sure if I could do this on my own…"

Bernadette smiled. "Not a problem, come on, or we'll be late."

The two girls entered the lobby of the dreary building and Amy announced her arrival, filling out a myriad of forms given to her by the receptionist. After waiting for fifteen minutes, Amy was called in, and Bernadette followed straight in.

A short, caramel skinned woman smiled and greeted them, a stethoscope hanging limply around her neck. "Amy Fowler, correct?"

"Yes, hi, Dr. Naia," She greeted, taking a seat. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"Not a problem," The doctor cast her gaze back to the computer screen, "my notes state that you have booked an extra long session with the intention of having an Implanon insertion, is that correct?"

Amy nodded nervously, looking to Bernadette, who smiled encouragingly. "Yes, that's correct."

"Alright, let's get started. I'll need to take your blood pressure, check your general health and ask a series of questions." Dr. Naia strapped the blood pressure cuff around her upper arm and it began to swell with air. Whilst it pumped, she asked a variety of questions, from whether she suffered from regular headaches to whether her menstrual cycle was regular. Her blood pressure was normal, and the doctor weighed and measured her – finding that she was in good general health.

Dr. Naia typed all of the notes quickly, pressing on. "One final question to ask you – do you have any family history of mental illness – depression, bipolar disorder, suicidal tendencies…?"

Amy froze at the question, so accustomed to hiding the truth. Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head up securely. "Yes, actually, my father suffered from manic depression and committed suicide ten years ago."

Beside her, she heard Bernadette breath catch and felt her hand gently clasp her own, squeezing it. The doctor nodded and slid her gold glasses down her nose slightly. "Do you find yourself suffering from any of these disorders or tendencies?"

"Never." Amy responded confidently, giving Bernadette a tiny smile.

Again, the doctor nodded. "You are a suitable candidate for the contraception you are interested in. Given the family history with mental illness, I will need to see you once every two to threes months to analyze your progress."

"Sure," Amy agreed, suddenly feeling nervous about the procedure. "Can we go ahead with the insertion today?"

"Certainly." Dr. Naia led her to the procedure bed, instructing her to remove her cardigan and lay back. Whilst she organized the tools she would require, Bernadette stepped to the other side of the bed and took her hand.

"Squeeze if it hurts, okay?" She said quietly, and Amy nodded. "This is worth it, Amy."

The doctor swung around on her chair, needle in hand, and turned out Amy's arm, pricking it in multiple spots and waiting until was numb before she inserted the match stick sized rod into her arm. Within minutes, her arm was bandaged and cardigan was back on, and it was done.

The two girls walked back out to their cars and Bernadette pulled her into an embrace, her lips at her ear. "I'm so sorry, Amy." She whispered, holding her tightly.

Amy pulled away and smiled. "Don't be, I've made peace with it, as best I can."

* * *

><p>Over at Leonard and Sheldon's, Penny, Raj and Howard were preparing for pizza night, setting out plates and napkins and selecting a television show to watch.<p>

Raj had already cracked a beer open, and was arguing with Howard about the selection of entertainment for the evening. "Oh, no dude, seriously – we are so not watching the same episode of Terra Nova _again _– besides, America's Next Top Model is back on, wouldn't you prefer that? It'll be like the good old days…"

Howard sat in front of the television set, fingering through a variety of DVDs. "As much as I would just love to sit here all evening and watch potential super models wander around some huge mansion in their swim suits I doubt that my _wife_ would appreciate it."

Penny brought across the last of the plates, laying them out on the coffee table. "Why don't we just leave it off for the night guys, maybe do some socializing instead?"

Raj groaned. "Thank Cow I've got it set to record at home…"

Penny took a seat and waited anxiously for Sheldon and Leonard to arrive home with the pizza. She knew that Sheldon would instantly recognize something was wrong, and was ever so curious to see his reaction.

On cue, the two men walked in the door, Leonard's hands carrying four pizza boxes and Sheldon carrying nothing. Setting the boxes down onto the table, Leonard flopped into the seat beside Penny and kissed her. "Hey, honey!"

As predicted, Sheldon had frozen in the doorway, staring wide-eyed. "Someone touched my board." He said loudly, pointing at it as though it were contaminated.

The three other boys immediately stopped chatting and turned to Penny, shooting her a look. She shrugged at them and took a piece of pizza, returning to watch Sheldon analyze his dilemma.

Gingerly, Sheldon approached the whiteboard, eyeing it carefully. It had been completely wiped clean and there was a whole new equation scribble in huge handwriting.

_9x-7i 3(3x-7u)_

Sheldon gaped at the equation, dumbfounded. "Is this a joke?" He asked out loud, looking around at his friends. It was an incredibly simple equation, and he assumed that the intention of leaving it on his board was for him to solve it, so he twisted the cap off a marker and scribbled the workings.

_9x-7i 3(3x-7u)_

_9x-7i 9x-21u_

_-9x -9x_

_-7i __-21u_

_-7 -7_

_i 3u_

Penny pursed her lips, watching the brilliant physicist mull over the answer. Huffing, he tilted his head to one side, and then to the other. It didn't make sense. Why would someone write a strange, unjustified equation on his board?

By now, the three other men were staring across too, chuckling at the answer. Sheldon turned to them, scowling, and then looked to Penny. "What does this mean?"

Penny smirked. "Sheldon, what does it _look _like?"

Sheldon looked at the resolved answer and frowned. "It looks like an equation, that's what it looks like…"

"No…" She stood, coming over to help him. Firstly, she covered all but the 'i'. "What does this say?"

"I…?"

She covered all but the 'u', and asked him the same question. "You…?"

Finally, she drew two hands across the 'i' and the 'u'. "And if you tilt your head to the right what does this look like?"

He pressed his ear to his right shoulder, looking utterly confused. "Like an ice cream with two scoops…?"

Penny laughed and grabbed a red marker, outlining the '' and the three as one. "Now what does it look like?"

"A heart? What does that – oh! Oh…" His eyes opened as wide as saucers and he nodded slowly. "Which one of you did that?" He said, glaring at his three other companions.

They all shrugged and replied with a unanimous 'not me'. In the next breath, Amy and Bernadette walked through the door and the world around him stopped turning.

"You love me?"

**Author's Note: **It has come to my attention that doesn't allow symbols such as 'greater than' or 'less than' - which is a shame as it does deduct from the above equation. Please imagine the final equation as having a less than symbol before the three - it'll make sense then...

Thanks and remember to review! =)


	21. Chapter 21

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This chapter was going to be a lot longer, and I decided to chop it in half – so unfortunately, not naughtiness or seduction in this chapter, but much to come – don't worry. Please read, review and enjoy as usual!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 21**

Sheldon stared intently at his brunette girlfriend, his eyes boring holes into her. "You love me?"

Amy stepped past Bernadette, who was taking a seat on the couch beside her husband, and came to stand in front on him, at the white board. She looked up at him shyly, and bit her lip gently. "Yes."

Shaking his head slightly, Sheldon returned his gaze to the board, furrowing his eyebrows and trailing his fingers across his forehead, concerned. He looked from the board to his quietly observing friends to the floor, and then opened his mouth to speak, just as quickly shutting it again. Amy felt her heart racing in her chest. This was wrong.

"I…" He began finally, swallowing loudly, "I don't know how to process that…"

Amy felt her heart sink, but let it go just as fast. This could take time. She turned her back to him, heading for to sit down and eat. "Well, that's alright, perhaps you require further time to evaluate –"

Before she could step away, he gripped her arm and she spun back to him. His face was a clumsy jumble of emotions and unsaid words, yet he had no idea what they were. She winced at the grip on her arm, whilst not tight, it was tender from her recent trip to the doctor. Sheldon dropped it quickly and faltered. "Love?"

Amy eyed him curiously and nodded slowly. It wasn't truly a question, or a statement, it sounded more like a revelation. For the first time since she had known him, Sheldon Cooper seemed completely lost for words, and it was angering him rapidly. She decided to break his agony. "Come on, Sheldon, let's eat – we can talk about it later –"

Suddenly he found his feet again. "Love, Amy? Really? Do I not recall you referring to love as an 'unnecessary cultural construct that adds no value to human relationships'?"

Amy turned to him, taken aback. He was defending himself; he didn't want to have to deal with it. "That was a very long time ago now, Sheldon, you know very well yourself that things change…"

Pursing his lips, he looked down on her derisively. "Interesting. It would appear that you are not as far advanced as I had once imagined, Amy."

Their friends, who had been seemingly minding their own business – busily eating and eavesdropping – were dead silent. Penny felt like punching him.

Amy took a deep breath, copping the blow and still standing tall. "Well, perhaps not, but I –"

Sheldon wasn't listening. He flung a hand toward his board. "It was completely inappropriate for you to just go ahead and erase everything from my board, without consent, and just go ahead and write some lovey-dovey nonsense, I don't understand what would possess –"

That was it, Amy had had enough. "Nonsense? Let me get this straight – you've kissed me on numerous occasions, gawked at me when I'm in nothing but my underwear, touched me in ways no other man ever has, hell – you've even told me that sex is now on the cards, and yet love? Oh, well, that's just nonsense!"

"Excuse me – I was not 'gawking' –"

"And I suppose all that crap about caring for me, the times you've held me when I cried and listened to all of my problems, that was all just a big front; all just nonsense, too? Taking me to Salt Lake City, sharing a bed with me, all of it, right?" Amy was yelling at him now, through choked back tears. "This is just so convenient for you, isn't it?"

Sheldon was frozen on the spot, no longer interested in defending himself or ensuring that his private relationship with Amy was hidden. "Amy, I –"

Amy was already at the door, coat and bag in her hand. "I've had it, Sheldon." And she walked out the door.

Penny and Bernadette were out of their seats quicker than lightning, chasing after her. Sheldon remained, still stiff and shocked, watching after her. Processing her every word.

"Amy, wait!" Bernadette called, slamming the door shut behind her. Penny raced past her down the stairs, and caught the neurobiologist in the lobby. Throwing her arms around her neck, Penny squeezed her now sobbing friend tightly.

"Shhh… it's okay!" She soothed, patting her hair gently. Bernadette came to a halt beside them, taking hold of Amy's hand.

"Don't worry about Sheldon, Amy – he's a jerk…" Bernadette said.

Amy pulled away, lifting the thick black frame of her glasses to wipe away tears. She nodded, and said nothing. Penny watched her sadly, growing angrier and angrier with Sheldon. "A _huge_ jerk, who I'm planning to kick squarely in the –"

Amy waved a hand, dismissing their comments. "It's okay, don't. That was just kind of hard to hear."

Bernadette gave her a weak smile and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Amy, you know he loves you, right?"

Amy took a deep breath and nodded again, biting down more tears. "I know… I just wish loving me wasn't so hard for him."

Penny shook her head, struggling to be as forgiving. "Loving you isn't what's hard, Ames. What's hard is being Sheldon." She nodded toward the stairs. "Come on – come up to my place, we'll steal some food off the guys and then have a girls night, what do you think?"

Shaking her head, Amy smiled. "I think I need to be alone, rain check?"

"Sure." Penny said quietly, and she and Bernadette waved their friend goodbye as she stepped out into the mild night air. Within seconds of her leaving, Penny burst back through Leonard and Sheldon's apartment door, fuming.

"Where is he?" She said darkly, looking around the room. Sheldon was no where to be seen.

Leonard swallowed a mouthful of pizza and sat back in the armchair. "In his room, sulking."

Marching past the three boys, she slammed her hand on Sheldon's door. "Sheldon!"

A moment passed before his door cracked open, one blue eye staring back at her. "Hello, Penny."

She pushed the door open fully, resisting the temptation to punch him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Sheldon winced and closed his eyes, sighing loudly. "Penny – it would be preferable if we could continue this conversation at a later date, I am about to call my mother."

"Oh," Penny responded, surprised. That was going to be her very next tactic. "Well, this is not over!"

She stormed back into the living room and flopped into Sheldon's spot, folding her arms across her chest. Beside her, Bernadette sighed. "Poor Amy…"

"Was she okay?" Leonard asked, concerned. He knew the feeling.

Penny shrugged. "As okay as you can be. I cannot believe how much of a dick Sheldon was…"

Howard put his plate on the coffee table and sat back. "This is _Sheldon_ we're talking about…"

Raj sipped at his drink and quickly became teary. "I can't believe how beautiful that was… 'I heart you'… oh, how romantic…" His voice cracked and he frowned. "Poor Amy!"

The group was silent for a moment, lost in recollection of the evening's events. Howard abruptly jumped out of his seat, unrolling three XBox controllers. "Who's up for some gaming? I am!"

Penny sighed and stood up. "Come on, Bernadette, let's go over to my place."

* * *

><p>In a nearby, overly neat and tidy room, Sheldon listened to the dial tone of his cell phone as he called his mother. He sat on the edge of his bed, facing the wall, hands clammy and heart racing.<p>

His mother's warm voice boomed through the phone, dripping with heavy accent. "Shelly! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hi, Mom," he said weakly, running a hand over his hair and letting the weight of his head rest against it.

Mary was quiet for a moment; something was wrong. "What is it, Shelly? You haven't quit your job again, have you? Or started attending one of those freaky gentlemen's clubs you kids have over there in California?"

"No, no…" He paused, breathing deep. "Mom, I need your help with something…"

"Of course you do, dear," She replied happily, "that's what I'm here for. Well, me and the Lord."

Ignoring her, he pressed on. "I need to know something… what does it feel like to... be in love?" He felt ridiculous saying it out loud, even to his own mother.

"Well, now Shelly dear – being in love is a very special thing, like no other feeling in the world." She paused for a moment, and all Sheldon could hear was the gentle sound of her breathing. It relaxed him some. "I remember when I was in love with your father, Sheldon, when he was a good, respectable man. It felt like flying, like constant laughter and joy, as though the universe revolved around him. When you're in love, real, true love, you feel grounded and stable, comfortable in your own skin."

Sheldon listened to his mother's soothing voice, swallowing the sudden rush of emotion as she mentioned his father. Reading emotions was far from his strong point, but Sheldon was positive he heard sadness in her voice.

Mary spoke again, after waiting for Sheldon's response. "Why do you ask, Shelly bean?"

"Mom," he said brokenly, "Amy told me she loved me today. She wrote it in an equation, on my board…"

He wasn't sure if he was happy or sad about it. He wasn't sure of anything.

Mary chuckled softly. "That's wonderful. Love is just another natural part of God's plan, and my, oh my, doesn't that girl know just exactly how you tick." She paused, sensing that the revelation was not as welcomed by Sheldon. "Well, Sheldon, do you love her back?"

"I don't know, Mom," he burst, rubbing his eyes like a tired toddler, "I don't know…"

Mary knew. "How does she make you feel, sweetheart?"

Sheldon considered the question for a moment, settling back against the headboard of his bed. _Everything, _he thought, _she makes me feel everything._ "She makes me feel… accepted, and confident, and she makes me feel happy…" He had no idea how to put it all into words, and thought harder. "She makes me feel like my spot."

"Your what, dear?"

He sighed, exasperated with his mother's difficulty keeping up. "You know, my spot on the couch here at home. Like I had back in Texas, on the floral armchair that was Meemaw's. My spot is the single position in space where I feel safe, grounded, like the world can move as fast as it wants and I'll still be securely positioned in my spot. That's how Amy makes me feel."

Mary's smile almost came beaming through the phone line. Before she could say another word, Sheldon seemed to come up with more to say. "Oh, and sometimes when she smiles, I smile too – for no reason at all. It's a fascinating response actually…"

"Shelly," Mary said gently, carefully, "that sounds an awful lot like love to me."

Sheldon's heart leapt into his throat. His mind told him to back away, to defend himself, to stop this nonsense. _Nonsense._ The word left a bitter taste in his mouth and the image of Amy's hurt eyes in his head. "What should I do?" He whispered, frightened.

"You should tell her, of course!" She responded brightly.

Sheldon groaned. "Mom – I don't know about this, 'love' is such a trivial human emotion, it truly has no benefit to me as a scientist –"

"Sheldon Lee Cooper, being in love is not something to be scoffed at, and will have a huge benefit to you as a… well, as an everything in fact. Trust me."

He was silent then, thoughts bouncing about in his brain. Why was this so hard?

Mary sighed. "You know, Shelly, perhaps you shouldn't go see that poor girl. Maybe it would be better if you left her alone, let her down easy…"

Sheldon frowned; overwhelmed by the sudden urge to march over to see Amy and tell her… whatever he was going to tell her. "No, Mom – you were probably right the first time. I should speak to her."

Mary yawned, laughing softly. "Alright then, darlin'. You let me know if you need anything, I'm only a phone call away. Jesus be with you, my boy."

Sheldon rolled his eyes and smirked. "Thanks, Mom. Good night."

Hanging up the phone, he laid out flat on the bed, sighing. He had never felt romantic love before; he loved his mother, his Meemaw, his sister and his brother… but Amy was… different. The deep care he held for her was certainly unlike the love he held for anyone or anything else, it made him feel complete, happy.

Perhaps he did love her, after all.

* * *

><p>The following day passed with no contact from Sheldon, and Amy was glad for it. She delved into her work, moving through her tasks quickly and efficiently, although her heart just wasn't it in. She felt like she was never truly present; constantly thinking about Sheldon, and whether he loved her in return.<p>

Penny had invited her over to stay for a night or two, to have some girl time and get her mind off her boyfriend troubles. She agreed, and was now ascending the many flights of stairs to Penny's apartment. At the very top of the fourth flight, she eyed both doors carefully, keen to avoid Sheldon at all costs.

The coast was clear, so she raced across to Penny's apartment and knocked hastily. Penny let her straight it, passing her a glass of wine as she entered.

"Bit early for alcohol isn't it, bestie?" Amy chastised, throwing her bag onto the couch and taking a seat at the kitchen counter.

"It's never too early for alcohol." Penny said with a giggle, taking a seat beside her. "Now – what did you wanna get up to this evening? Travel twister? _Grease_? Oh, I know – you so wouldn't have seen _Dirty Dancing_, right?"

Amy laughed and shook her head. "No, I haven't, perhaps we could do that… is Bernadette coming?"

Penny swished the liquid in her glass, watching as it slid down the edge lazily. "Nah, she and Howard are going to finalise the paperwork for their new apartment. Thank God they're finally moving out of his mother's, huh?"

"Yes, it has certainly not been an easy situation for Bernadette." Amy pondered their situation for a moment and then cringed at the thought. "I could _never _live with my other again. Ever. I've lived alone for so long now… it would be so strange living with someone…"

Penny nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know the feeling. If I ever went back to Nebraska there is no way I would move back home." She sighed, drawing a knee up onto the stool and resting her chin on it. "Leonard practically lives here now anyway, and I do like the company. No wonder he's around here so much, he does live with Sheldon…"

Amy shot her a playful glare. "Hey, that's my boyfriend you're talking about."

"Oh, come on," Penny looked at her teasingly, "you really want to live with _Sheldon?_"

Amy shrugged, the sudden thought buzzing around in her mind. "Eventually, yeah, I hope so."

Shaking her head, Penny sighed and patted her arm. "You're a brave woman, Ames." She hopped off the chair and headed for her bedroom, calling as she went. "Now, let's get into our pajamas and put on that movie – I'm sure it'll have plenty of seductive moments for you…"

Amy reached for her bag and fumbled through it, groaning. "I seem to have forgotten my night wear, do you have something I can borrow, bestie?"

Penny wandered out from her bedroom, clad in a men's football jersey. She threw her a matching one and Amy caught it. "Sure, I've got plenty of these lying around…"

Handling it gingerly, she scrunched her nose. "Alright… it's a little short…"

Penny shrugged, tipping her head upside down and tying her hair in a high ponytail. "Who cares?"

Amy headed to the bathroom and changed, returning back to the living area and snuggling under the blanket laid across the couch with Penny and a fresh bowl of popcorn. She smiled – this was exactly what she needed.

It was late in the afternoon, and Bernadette and Howard had just departed the real estate agent, keys for their new apartment in hand. After finding a small, quaint apartment only a few blocks over from Leonard and Sheldon's, they headed for the bank and finalised the deal – now the home was theirs. The process had run so quickly, so smoothly, and Bernadette was overwhelmed with excitement.

As they ascended the stairs, she beamed, grasping her husband's hand and giggling. Howard laughed and looked down at her. "What are you so happy about?"

"I'm just so excited, Howie," she cooed, "our own place!"

"Yeah, it is exciting…" He replied with less fervor. "A big, fat mortgage is something I was just so excited about getting into…"

Bernadette frowned. "That's big, coming from the guy whose income will be going to less than a third of the payment each month…"

They had reached the apartment, and Howard ignored her, slipping the key into the lock and opening the door. Their home was near to brand new, completely renovated inside. It smelled of fresh paint and was neat as a pin. Bernadette threw her handbag and coat onto the floor by the door and walked through, impressed.

"Oh, Howie, isn't it wonderful?" She looked around at the crisp off-white walls and newly polished floorboards, leading back into a modern, grey-toned kitchen. Three black tear-drop shaped light fittings hung trendily above the island bench, reflecting off the stone top.

"Sure is…" Howard commented, rubbing the back of his neck stiffly.

Bernadette skipped off down the hall, inspecting the large master bedroom and spare bedroom, along with the spacious bathroom. She could hardly contain her thrill. "It's perfect. This is going to be such a change from living at your mothers… no floral wallpaper, no patterned brown carpet, no lace curtains draping from every window…"

Howard followed her and shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, Bernie, listen... there's something I need to tell you…"

Bernadette turned to him, eyeing him suspiciously. She knew instantly. "You haven't told her, have you?"

"Not exactly…" He replied, and she threw her hands in the air. "But I was planning on -"

"Planning on what, Howard? I cannot believe you haven't told your mother we're moving out, are you completely insane?" She screeched, marching back out into the open living area.

Howard followed her, shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Bernie, I just haven't found the right time to tell her – you know it's going to break her heart. Besides I've had an idea that might resolve the problem… make the whole process a bit smoother for her…"

Bernadette put her hands on her hips and waited impatiently for what she assumed would be a terrible idea. He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands over the sides of his pants nervously. "I was thinking that maybe you could move in here, get everything set up, and then I'll stay at home with Ma until the trip and once I get home I'll move in here. Simple."

She had been right, it was a terrible idea. Angry, she held her left hand out to him, waving it about. "Do you see this, Howard? This is our _wedding ring _– I am your _wife! _If you think it's okay, sorry – if you think it's _simple _to just continue living at home with your mother while I live here _alone _then you may as well not have a wife at all!" She paused, struggling to compose herself. "You need to sort out these problems between you and your mother, right now, or this marriage is over, do you understand?"

Howard cowered back, he had not intended to hurt her. He was concerned for his mother, and ensuring the transition was as easy as possible. "Bernadette, I'm sorry – I didn't mean –"

Grabbing her coat, handbag and the house key, she flung the door open and stood at it. "You know what, I accept your proposal. You stay at home with your mother and I'll move in here. Between now and then, I don't want to hear from you until you have fixed this. Go."

Howard fidgeted on the spot, unsure of how to react. "Bernie, don't do this, I didn't mean it like that –"

"I'll be round to pick up my things from your mother's later tonight, and I'll tell my brother he can take all of my furniture out of storage, I'll need it now." She turned her nose up at him, folding her arms across her chest. It was no longer up for discussion.

Howard felt a lump in his throat, felt himself panic. "Come on, just come home and I'll sort it out the moment we get there –"

"Out." She said sternly, pointing out into the hall.

Slowly, he inched past her and had the door slammed behind him. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. "And how do you suggest I get home?"

"YOU CAN WALK!"

As he wandered down the many flights of stairs, he pulled his phone out of his tight pocket and dialed. "Hey, Ma, yeah look… we need to talk."

* * *

><p>Sheldon and Leonard dragged their legs up the stairs to their apartment after a busy evening at the comic book store, quiet with their own thoughts. Leonard pulled his brand new comic out of his bag and admired it, smiling happily.<p>

"I have been looking for this comic for ages, I'm so glad Stuart was about to order it in for me!" He said excitedly, flicking it over and reading the back. Sheldon remained silent, as he had been all day. "Why didn't you buy anything, Sheldon?"

"What?" Sheldon said, interrupted by the sound of his own name. "Oh, I didn't find anything that interested me."

Leonard gave him a look. "That's not like you, what's up?"

"It's just this whole situation with Amy – you know, the declaration of her love for me. I can't seem to pick myself up again, no matter how neutrinos I study…" He exhaled loudly, frustrated, and waited behind Leonard as he unlocked their door.

A loud burst of laughing and cheering echoed from their blonde neighbour's apartment, and the two physicists looked at each other curiously. Suddenly, Penny's door flew open and she came running out, pissed as a parrot.

"Oh, hey guys!" She said loudly, her car keys in her hand. "What ya doin'?"

Leonard walked across to her, kissed her firmly on the lips and snatched the keys out of her hand. "I think the correct question is – what are _you _doing?"

She leant against the doorframe, unimpressed. "Going to get more popcorn, of course!"

"With no pants on?" Leonard asked, raising an eyebrow at her bare legs and knee high socks.

"Yep! Well, I was until you stole my keys…" She giggled, trying to grasp them off him. "Give them back, Amy needs comfort food! Oh and now Bernadette too, apparently – Howard is being a huge dick."

"'Comfort food'? Why would Amy need comfort food?" Sheldon asked, craning his neck to peek into Penny's apartment, to get a glimpse of the girlfriend he felt like he hadn't seen in months. He spotted the back of her head, huddled under a blanket on Penny's couch. His heart sank.

"Because you broke her little heart, that's why Sheldon!" Penny replied, pointing at him. "Maybe it's a good thing you didn't tell her you loved her back, she can do better anyway!"

Leonard steered her back into her apartment, pushing her through the door. "Okay, that's enough – back you go…"

She whined in protest. "But I want popcorn…"

"Don't worry, I'll bring you some soon." With that, he shut the door and groaned. "Girls, huh?" He turned to grin at Sheldon, but he was already inside, heading hurriedly for his room.

* * *

><p>Not long after meeting with the boys in the hallway, Bernadette arrived at Penny's, disheveled and tear-stained.<p>

Amy led her inside, sitting her in Penny's armchair and handing her a tissue. "What happened?"

"Howard is such a jerk. We were at our new place, everything was so lovely, when suddenly he announced that he hasn't told his mother we were moving out – can you believe it? And _then _he proceeded to tell me that his solution to this problem would be for me to move into our new place, on my own, and he'll stay at home with his mother until after he returns from his trip!" She burst, dabbing her eyes and sniffling.

Penny pushed herself up out of the sinking couch, pushing through the blanket she was wrapped up in. "That jerk face!" She slurred slightly.

Amy pursed her lips and nodded sympathetically. "I concur, bestie – jerk face about sums it up. What are you going to do?"

"I told him that I would move out by myself, and didn't want to hear from him until he sorts his issues out with his mother… so I may not hear from him again, ever!" She cried, hiccupping.

"You will hear from him again, Bernie," Penny said, louder than intended, "when you file for divorce and find yourself a better man!"

Amy rolled her eyes and turned to her petite friend. "Ignore her, she's had a lot to drink and too much popcorn. You will hear from him again, Bernadette, maybe this is the kick in the pants he needs."

Bernadette nodded, taking a deep, long breath. "Thanks, Amy."

Smiling brightly, she nodded back. "My pleasure. Now – with the exception of Penny and her enviously wonderful relationship, would you like to take part in the 'our-boyfriends-are-jerk-faces girl's night?"

"Oh, yes!" Bernadette giggled, standing to get changed.

Penny huffed and attempted to get out of her spot, failing miserably and tumbling back onto the couch. "More wine?"

* * *

><p>It was five in the morning, and Sheldon could not sleep.<p>

He had tossed and turned for hours, taking his eye mask off, putting it back on, switching pillows – nothing worked. His ongoing issue with Amy was getting to him, badly, and every instinct he had was telling him to deal with it or back away.

Huffing, he threw back the covers and stomped out into the kitchen, opening the fridge. The apartment was cold, quiet and dark, and the light from the fridge made him squint. He smiled when he noticed a bottle of Yoohoo sitting at the back of a shelf, one that Amy had brought him only a couple of days earlier.

Pulling it out, he poured a glass and rested his palms against the counter. His mind continued to wander; back to Amy's hurt face, back to his conversation with his mother, back to Amy's slender legs and black lace bra –

He slammed a palm against the counter in aggravation. What was wrong with him? How could he possibly feel all of these things at once, without spontaneously combusting?

Looking up, he found his gaze fixed on the door, staring at it longingly. He _missed _her. More than anything. He wanted to speak to her, tell her he was sorry and that a spirited game of Counterfactuals would sort out all of their problems. And perhaps a kiss…

Without realizing it, he had drifted to the front door and opened it, and was standing aimlessly in the doorway. In the dim light, Penny's front door looked as though it were glowing slightly, and he wandered across and knocked quietly.

A moment passed before the door creaked open quietly. Amy squinted tiredly and brushed her hair away from her face. "Sheldon?"

Sheldon could have sworn he was looking at a brunette version of Penny – short football jersey, messy ponytail and knee high socks to boot. It was maddening. He blinked, wondering if perhaps he was dreaming; a strange, messed-up dream. "Amy?"

Leaning against the doorframe, she looked at him wearily. "What do you want?"

He couldn't stop his eyes from scanning over her legs, her thighs, and was quite sure that if she were to bend over he would be able to see her panties. _Come on, Cooper, focus!_

Amy sighed, irritate by his presence. "Good night, Sheldon." She began to close the door in his face, but his foot stopped it and she looked back at him, questioning him. "What…?"

Taking a deep breath, he grasped her wrist and tugged her across the hall, back into his apartment. She whined quietly in protest, not in the mood for his childish games. He flopped into his spot, inadvertently pulling her down on top of him.

She eyed him carefully, sitting on his lap stiffly, and questioned him again. "Sheldon, what are you –"

In the next breath, Sheldon caught her lips with his own, kissing her hard, bringing back the flutter of butterflies to his stomach. At first she made a tiny noise in protest, but quickly gave in as he snaked a hand behind her neck, drawing her closer. She whimpered as his tongue grazed her bottom lip, and his free hand ran up along her socks and caressed her bare thigh. Pressing harder against his soft lips, she moved her hips gently against his own and heard him moan quietly, breaking the kiss.

"Amy," he said breathlessly, his face serious now, "as per our recently altered Relationship Agreement, there is something I must discuss with you."

"Yes?" She asked hesitantly, nervously, unsure of where he was going.

He took a deep breath and looked her directly in the eyes. "I love you, Amy."

Amy felt her heart try to leap out of her chest and felt the room begin to spin. She couldn't formulate a sentence, couldn't think.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, I didn't know… I wasn't sure…" He looked at her, with her wide eyes and slightly open mouth. _Beautiful. _"I'm so sorry."

Amy seemed to return to reality and looked at him. "I love you, too." She whispered, and this time it was Sheldon's turn for his heart to leap. Never had such a simple sentence sent chills down his spine, nor rendered him so incredibly speechless.

Amy smirked at the look of pure astonishment in Sheldon's eyes, and took her opportunity to tease him, as Penny had suggested. She kissed him lightly and drew the kiss across to his ear, feeling the goosebumps spread on his skin. "I'd better go, Bernadette has to leave early, and she'll wonder where I am," she whispered, and then gently nibbled his ear, causing him to jump, "I love you…"

Swinging a leg off, she sauntered out of his apartment and back to Penny's, leaving him sitting there, completely stunned.

Speechless was _definitely _the right word.


	22. Chapter 22

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> OVER 200 REVIEWS! WOW! I am just so, so thankful to all of my readers – thank you so much, I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. Sheldon and Amy's journal is a long one, a very gradual one, and I've been careful to let them go at their own speed. Thank you again, I'm beyond flattered. You're all going to hate me for this chapter I'm sure, but please don't – have faith, I promise you; it's coming VERY VERY VERY soon. Enjoy, read and review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 22**

After their night time rendezvous, Amy kept a polite distance from Sheldon, curious to see whether he was thoroughly 'teased' by her new temptress ways. It worked. She was bombarded with text messages and video calls about countless different things – from how she was progressing at work to how long eggs keep in the fridge to whether she was joining him for dinner. Any excuse would do, it appeared.

The next couple of days carried on as normal – with work and the general duties of life panning out as they always did. The group had hardly seen one another, the rift between Howard and Bernadette causing tension between the boys and the girls. Amy had not had a chance to catch up with Sheldon in person, and was missing him terribly.

Sighing, she collected her handbag from the front seat of her car and stepped out onto the sidewalk, gazing at the large, magnificent building in front of her. Bernadette had invited her and Penny over to see her new apartment, fully decked out with all of her furniture from her previous place. She punched the code Bernadette had given her into the keypad by the door, and it made a small click and she was in. The lobby was large and modern; reminding her more of a hotel foyer than a simple apartment lobby, with an array of stylish paintings, funky couches and carefully displayed fake flowers adorning the room.

She took the lift, and was practically dumped outside of Bernadette's door. Knocking quietly, she listened while Bernadette fiddled with the lock system on the other side. "Sorry, Amy – still not used to this!"

"That's quite alright," she replied, waiting patiently, "has Penny arrived yet – whoa!"

Bernadette ushered her inside, and Amy cast her eyes around the high-ceilinged, spacious apartment. It was so simplistic, so neat and tidy. Penny waved from the low-line couch, grinning at her friends. "How amazing is this place?"

Amy placed her bag by the door and followed Bernadette through to the kitchen, marveling at the stainless steel appliances and view out into the city. "Uh huh…" She managed.

Bernadette beamed. "It's just lovely, isn't it? It's so nice to have a place that is fresh and new, where I can cook and clean and watch TV without some crazy mother-in-law screaming the house down!"

Amy pursed her lips sympathetically, helping her carry their drinks and a plateful of biscuits across to the living area. "How are things going with the two of you?"

Taking a seat beside Penny, she shrugged. "Howie keeps trying to call me, sends me tons of messages… he asked if he could come see me this afternoon but I replied to tell him no, not unless he's sorted things out with his mother."

"Has he?" Penny asked, shoving a cookie into her mouth messily.

"I don't know, I assume not…" Bernadette frowned, disliking the conversation. "How are you and Sheldon going Amy, after the other night…?"

Amy smiled playfully. "Well… as I told you, Sheldon admitted his love for me, and since has not stopped contacting me. I've never seen him so… free."

Penny shook her head in disbelief. "Still can't believe it. How's the plans for seduction going?"

Bernadette snapped her head back to Amy, jaw dropped. "You're trying to _seduce Sheldon_?"

Amy chuckled coyly. "Yes, I suppose. After he told me coitus was something he would now consider, I am keen to… 'push his buttons' a little."

Bernadette giggled and reached for a biscuit. "Amy, you naughty little thing!"

"There is one problem…" Amy said, concerned. "Despite my ongoing seduction lessons from Penny, I can't seem to bring myself to initiate the seduction."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on – you're so ready. With my lessons, and that amazing bra from Victoria's Secret, how could he resist?"

Looking at her skeptically, Amy sighed. "This _is _Sheldon we're talking about…" She paused, the mention of her newly purchase lingerie reminding her of how badly the bra was digging into her ribs. "By the way, bestie – this bra is _far _from what I would deem to be 'comfortable'."

"It's not supposed to be _comfortable_, Ames. It's supposed to be _sexy_." Penny replied, pulling her legs up underneath her.

"Let's see it then," Bernadette said, grabbing the edge of Amy's blouse and tugging it to the side, revealing the edge of something very red with lacy trimming. "Ooo – very sexy!"

"I suppose," Amy said flatly, "but what if he _does _give in to my skilled seductive methods? Then I would have to go through with it and I don't know and –"

Penny held up a hand to silence her. "Amy, stop. You'll be fine. This could take a few attempts, anyway."

Bernadette nodded, straightening Amy's blouse back in place. "Yeah, and besides – at least when the time's right you've got your protection all sorted and out of the way."

Amy felt her stomach lurch; this was becoming so real, so fast. Absently, she stroked the tiny match-stick like object beneath the soft skin of her inner arm. "Uh huh."

A knock interrupted them, and Bernadette frowned at the door. "Who is it?" She called, heading toward it.

There was a pause, and then a familiar voice. "It's Howard."

Bernadette looked back at her two girl friends and huffed, mouthing 'what do I do?'. Penny shrugged and Amy replied quietly: "Give him a chance."

She opened the door slightly and glared at him. "What do you want?"

He saw her face and felt his whole body warm, light up with happiness, despite the scowl. "Bernie – hey. I wanted to come talk to you, please can I come in?"

"Have you spoken with your mother?" She asked sternly, keeping him at a distance.

"Yeah, that's what I want to talk to you about." He said anxiously.

Looking at him, she felt her stomach sink. She knew him so well, and the darkness below his eyes and his untidy hair told her he was struggling. "Come in."

Smiling, he walked in, and froze when he saw Amy and Penny sitting on the couch. He shuffled on the spot, nervous. "I can come back another time, if you'd like…"

Bernadette crossed her arms across her chest. "No, whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of them. Go on."

Howard took a deep breath and bounced on the spot a little. "Okay, well – here goes. I told Ma that you and I are moving out together into an apartment in Pasadena."

Every instinct she had was crying for her to run to him, to tell him that was wonderful and he should come home, but she refrained. "And?"

"And that I would be moving out today." He said quietly, eyeing her closely. "Assuming that's okay with you…"

Penny and Amy watched on quietly, feeling as though they were intruding. Seeing Howard so vulnerable was rare. Bernadette didn't move. "What did she say?"

"She was upset at first, but we talked for a while," He paused, quietly considering his words, "I told her that once I move in with you, I won't need her like I have in the past. I don't need my mother, Bernie, I need you."

Bernadette bit her lip, surprised by his strong words. She knew he was telling her the truth, but also knew the separation wouldn't be easy; it would take time. Their marriage would take time. "I need you too, Howie," she said quietly, looking at the floor, "and I want you to come home."

Howard smiled widely, stepping toward her. "Really?"

"Yes." Bernadette said, and he gathered her up in his arms.

Penny smiled at Amy and she returned it with a stifled giggle. "We should go," Amy whispered.

Nodding, Penny stood and they grabbed their things. "Alright, you too love birds, we're off."

Bernadette pulled away from Howard and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry – you don't have to go…"

Amy shook her head and opened the front door, taking Penny with her. "No, no – we'll leave the two of you to get reacquainted."

And with that, they left the newlyweds to explore their new home, together.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Sheldon was sitting in his apartment, staring at his computer screen. He had a paper due the following day and the evidence of his input was written, clear as day, on his screen.<p>

Word Count: 78

Groaning, he rubbed his eyes. These past couple of days had been a muddle of emotions and sleeplessness. After telling Amy he loved her, he had been overwhelmed by the feeling of freedom and fun, and this was certainly _not _regular for a man of science such as himself. His work seemed to have taken a back seat whilst he brain worked overtime – thinking about Amy, and all of the wonderful things he _loved_ about her.

Since he had asked Amy to be his girlfriend many months back, he knew something had changed. Whilst he remained dedicated to his work and focused on the elements of his life that were important, Sheldon found himself feeling less cynical, more comical, and overall, just _happier. _Admitting his love for her seemed to have provided him with an adrenaline rush; fueling his passion for everything he loved in life, however negating his ability to actually _achieve _anything.

Leonard had insisted his difficulty concentrating could still be attributed to 'sexual frustration'. He didn't know what to make of that. Whenever the words echoed in his mind he had an overwhelming desire to push them away; to not acknowledge them at all. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he simply _couldn't _push away the images of Amy in his head… images that would send him straight to Hell.

He had told Amy that should the right moment come along he would take the opportunity. The thought made his stomach turn, made him sweat… why had he said that? There was a part of him that was begging him to retreat, that it would be a completely stupid venture that could potentially cost him so much, and yet another part of him that was screaming that he march over to her apartment and take her now. That was the part of him he was afraid of.

Swallowing loudly, he turned his attention back to his work, scanning over the minute amount he had previously written. _Under closer examination, it is evident that the subject requires specially formulated protection in order to achieve the –_

"Protection?" He said out loud, his stomach swooping again. If the right moment were to come along, and he took it, how would they be protected against the possibility of impregnation? He had no condoms; had never even looked at one before. The thought of condoms and sex and possible impregnation caused him to panic, and he leant his head on his desk with a thud. "Oh, Lord…"

Leonard looked up from the couch, baffled by his roommate's strange mutterings. "What are you carrying on about now?"

Sheldon's head snapped up from the desk and he stared at Leonard, not entirely processing his question. That day, when his friends ambushed him in his office talking about contraception, could they have been right? "What?"

Looking at him skeptically, placing his laptop onto the coffee table. "What's going on with you?"

Huffing at himself, Sheldon swung his chair around to face him. This was immeasurably awkward. "Leonard," he began, folding his hands together in his lap, "I need your assistance with a rather… male issue."

Leonard narrowed his eyes. "Yes…?"

He took a deep breath. "I need you to come with me to the drugstore tomorrow to pick up some…thing. I may require your advice on the matter."

Instantly, Leonard knew what he was referring to. He grinned. "Oh, I see… and you're requesting _my _advice, are you?"

Sheldon squirmed. "Yes."

Leonard's grin widened and he sighed, sinking into the couch. "That makes me feel like a stud." He laughed, and shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day when Dr. Sheldon Cooper asks me to help him buy condoms."

Sheldon visibly flinched at the word and turned back to his work. "Well, I'm glad that's settled. Perhaps we should bring Wolowitz along too; he seems to have some sort of grasp on the matter."

Standing out of his seat, Leonard chuckled. "Pun intended?"

"What pun?"

He opened the door and grabbed his keys out of the tray. "Never mind. I'm going over to Penny's for a bit, I'll see you in the morning."

"'Night." Sheldon responded, completely disinterested in his trivial information. He began typing again, then stopped, deleted everything and decided he'd start over. How incredibly irritating.

The familiar sound of a video call echoed on his laptop, and he could see it was Amy. Perhaps his paper would have to wait. He accepted the call and her face appeared on the screen, causing butterflies all over again. "Good evening, Amy!"

"And good evening to you, Sheldon." She said sweetly, adjusting the screen. "How are you?"

Sheldon smiled at her. "Well, and you?"

"Also well. How's the paper of yours coming along?" She asked, smirking.

He frowned and sighed. "Unfortunately, it seems that – for the first time during my employment at Caltech – I may need to request an extension. I just cannot seem to find my focus and complete the piece."

Amy shook her head disapprovingly. "You shouldn't have left it until the last minute, that's incredibly unproductive and studies show that it is rare that we create our best work under strained circumstances."

"I know…" he whined, "I'll have you know that I have not left it until the last minute – I've been working on this study for weeks. Just haven't actually documented anything as yet…"

She shrugged, drawing her arms above her head to tie her hair back, revealing his favourite Tweety Bird night shirt. "What's distracting you?" She asked.

Sheldon leant back in his seat, that swooping sensation returning to his stomach. He needed to learn to control that. "Oh, nothing much…"

Amy shuffled and leant forward on her elbows, causing the far too big night shirt to dip into a 'V', exposing the crease of her cleavage and the curve of her collar bones. "Tell me…"

_What is she playing at?_ "Um…" He could barely tear his eyes away from her, but managed, pretending to look at something beyond the laptop screen.

"Sheldon…" She said softly, huskily, and his eyes snapped back to her.

_That's not how she normally says my name, why is she doing that? _He watched her eyes, which looked bigger, brighter, bolder, and his breathing quickened. "Yes…?"

Smiling cheekily, she brushed the light fabric of her night shirt off her left shoulder, revealing a bare shoulder, no strap, no nothing. _Why in the world do I like this? _

She pushed the neckline further down her arm, more and more of her décolletage appearing. The top had slunk down so low Sheldon could see the outline of her round breast, her milky skin glowing in the light of the laptop screen. He could feel himself slipping into arousal, giving in, and that part of him he was afraid of was hoping desperately the whole top would fall off. If it dipper any lower, there wouldn't be very much left to the imagination…

He held his breath and stayed perfectly still, watching, as she trailing her fingers along the hem of the fabric, pushing it further and further down. Their eyes met, full of lust and fear and everything in between, and she tugged the top back up to sit squarely on her shoulders. She said nothing, just eyed him closely, a tiny smile on her lips.

Sheldon breathed finally, almost gasping for air in short, shallow bursts. Eyes still locked, he felt his face redden, embarrassed that he had not stopped it, that he had done nothing. Would he have let her go through with it?

Amy bit her lip – adding to his tension – and smiled cheekily again. He needed space and needed it _now_. "Amy," he said hoarsely, and cleared his throat, "Amy, I've got to go… talk to Leonard… before he goes… out… and yeah."

The look on her face told him he wasn't fooling anyone; smiling playfully back at him. "Alright – have fun."

His laptop was closed barely after she had gotten out the last word. He drew a hand over his face, groaning in frustration. _Sexual frustration…_

Heading down to the drugstore tomorrow was looking like a great idea after all…

* * *

><p>"Well, it's not really all that hard Sheldon – you've got a bunch of different brands to choose from… different types… sizes… um, how about this?" Leonard held out a packet and his tall friend took it gingerly, tilting his head as he read.<p>

"'Ribbed for your pleasure'? 'Slim fit'? I'm sorry, but I fail to see how 'ribs' would make heighten anyone's pleasure…" Sheldon scrunched his nose and placed the packet back on the shelf, instantly grabbing his hand sanitizer out of his pocket and rubbing between his hands.

Howard leant past him and grabbed another box, turning it over to read. "'Small', huh," he picked up another box, turning that one over too, "'Large'…" Looking down unceremoniously at Sheldon's pants, he bobbed his head from side to side, undecided. "You'd be what, a large?"

Leonard burst out with laughter and snatched the boxes away from his engineer friend. "I think Sheldon can select sizing for himself…"

The four grown men were standing in a brightly lit aisle at a local drug store, after Leonard agreed to drive him down after work. Howard and Raj insisted they come along, sure that it would be a hoot.

Beside them, Raj giggled and held out another packet. "Cool… glow in the dark!"

"Yeah, I've tried those… they don't really work… and besides, it's not really the sort of thing you want to see glowing…" Howard muttered, folding his arms across his chest.

Sheldon scanned over the tall shelf, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. There must have been at least fifty different choices – this was just too hard. Surely he could just pick one up and go – they all served the same purpose…

He reached for the first one his eyes fell on, a bright red box featuring a stick-figure like woman with basket ball sized breasts on the front. Reading the information on the front, he almost dropped the entire box. "'Strawberry _flavoured_'?"

Howard snatched the box off him, eyeing the girl and grinning. "Strawberry, really? I haven't seen that flavour before, must be new…"

Sheldon withdrew his hands and curled them in at his chest, images of why someone would want flavoured condoms now flying through his brain. Would he and Amy really…? He pushed the thought down, shaking his head. This was all too much.

Raj was holding at least ten different packets, bundled in his arms. "Look – you can get blue and green and pink and purple –"

"And multi coloured! Whoa!" Leonard chimed, pulling out one the boxes from his arms.

Sheldon huffed. This was not his idea of a fun excursion, and he wanted out as soon as possible. He grabbed a plain black packet, with no fake, half naked woman on the front – just a small logo and an 'L' for large. They would do.

"Raj – I hate to say it but I don't think that's how you put on a condom; clearly it's all to do with the 'rolling' motion –" Leonard was arguing beside him, mimicking the movement with a hand.

Raj made a disgusted face, shaking his head. "Gross, dude – I don't want to know about how you put it on –"

"Or you could always get her to help – now _that_ is really something –" Howard began, grinning.

Sheldon had heard enough. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I'm done. Now, which of you is going to go to the counter and pay for these for me?"

The three men looked at one another and shook their heads in unison. Leonard smirked at him. "No way – you're the one who wanted to come down here and stock up, you buy them."

"But _Leonard –_"

"No buts."

Sheldon grumbled and headed for the counter, placing the box down and handing the young cashier the money. "Forget the change," He mumbled and snatched up the packet, heading out the door.

The young girl grinned at his friends, who were struggling not to laugh. "Someone's in a hurry, huh?"

* * *

><p>That evening, the group had organised an evening of pizza and video games – much to the girl's dismay. They intended to sit and chat, or if the boys became too rowdy, to abandon ship and head over to Penny's. Pizza had been delivered and eaten, and the boys were eagerly setting up the controllers and clearing the area ready for an evening of fun.<p>

"Okay – so, are we still agreed on a zombie night? COD or Resident Evil?" Howard asked, holding both games in his hand.

Sheldon hummed, considering his answer. "Well… if we decide to play Nazi Zombies on COD we'd have to set up the second console so we could all play in co-op online mode… if we decide to play Resident Evil 5 we wouldn't have to setup the second console, but only two of us would be able to play and we'd have to compete in rounds."

Howard grabbed the second console and began hooking it up. "COD it is."

Within minutes, they were completely absorbed in their game, the three girls sitting by, bored. Penny took a deep breath and turned to Bernadette, keen to make conversation. "So, Bernadette, how's the new house going –"

"RAJ, RAJ – HE'S ON ME, QUICK SHOOT –"

"I CAN'T I'M OUT OF AMMO –"

"THEN KNIFE HIM, FOR GOD'S SAKE SOMEONE – oh, shit, I'm dead. Thanks a lot, Raj."

Penny leapt out of her seat. "I'm going to get wine. We're gonna need it."

She ran across to her apartment and returned in a flash with a bottle of red. Amy, who was sitting in her regular spot next to Sheldon, turned to Bernadette to attempt some form of conversation, interrupted once again.

"No – Sheldon! We just agreed on a strategy, look at the map, can't you see where I am –"

"Leonard, your strategy was terrible, I'm heading back across the field – follow me and I'll show you how to…"

Amy let Sheldon's demanding conversation with Leonard drop into the background and attempted to focus on Bernadette. Penny brought them over a glass of wine each and settled in a chair next to the couch.

Bernadette smiled at Penny. "Thank you. The house is going really well, everything's pretty well set up, just a couple more things we need to pick up from Howard's mother's place and –"

"SHELDON! You can't go rogue, you idiot –"

"Shut it, Leonard, I'll do what I like."

The evening continued on in a similar vein, until Amy had had enough. She removed herself from the disjointed conversation she was attempting to have with Penny and Bernadette and turned her attention to the screen, watching what the boys were actually screaming about.

The dark screen was filled with blood and guts, staggering zombies creeping toward the players as the boys shot and yelled at one another. Each of the boys were accruing points, and it appeared the points correlated with the sort of shots they were injuring the zombies with. Amy watched Sheldon's hands as he shot, and looked back at the screen. His aim was surprisingly woeful.

"Give it here," she said, snatching the controller off him. Penny and Bernadette gaped at her, completely shocked at her seemingly brave move.

"Hey!" Sheldon cried, and she held it out of his reach. Within seconds, she had figured out the controls and was shooting the zombies down, one after another. Sheldon's score went up and up, and this time it was his turn to gape at her.

Leonard frowned at the screen. "Sheldon, did you cheat – Amy?"

Howard and Raj craned their necks around, staring at her in disbelief. "Amy has gaming skills? That's unbelievable!" Raj cheered, returning to the game with a new vigour.

Howard grinned and patted her on the leg. "You're one of us now, kid. Wonder how your boyfriend feels about his girlfriend being a better shot than him…"

Sheldon was still ogling her, looking from the screen to her hands and back again. "How do you – what did you – how is this possible?"

Amy smiled, continuing to shoot away happily. "Played arcade games with my cousins when I was younger, and I was sick of watching your abysmal aim." She said smartly, receiving a round of cheers from their friends.

"Go Ames!" Penny encouraged, leaning forward to watch the gaming continue.

Sheldon frowned, he hated being shown up. "Well, you're not _that_ good –"

"Sheldon, she's been playing five minutes and her score is higher than mine, Howard's or Raj's already." Leonard commented, smirking at his seething friend.

Huffing, Sheldon crossed his arms across his chest. The thought that perhaps Amy excelled at something Sheldon loved was both maddening and exciting all at once. Once again, he was torn – one part of him wanted to tell her to stop and give the controller back, the other part wanted to team up with her and claim victory, together.

The group continued playing while Sheldon sulked, Bernadette and Penny even becoming interested and forming a small cheer squad for Amy. As they carried on, and the scores became higher, the game became more difficult, and Sheldon was struggling to hold back from giving her advice.

He gave in. "Amy, try going to the Mystery Box to see if the HK21 has appeared yet, it's a light machine gun."

Amy nodded and steered her character back through derelict buildings and past hoards of zombies. Success – the weapon was available.

Another half hour went on, and with Sheldon's help, Amy was miles ahead. The excitement of the game had caused him to inch closer to her in his spot, their bodies now touching. The other boys were growing tired of being beaten, and soon began to announce defeat.

"Oh, Amy – this is just so exciting – did you hear that, we won!" Sheldon said, grasping her upper arm excitedly. Amy instantly jumped as she felt his fingers skim over the stick-like object buried beneath her skin.

His eyes shot to hers, wide with concern, and he wrenched her arm out, feeling the object move under the surface through the flimsy material of her blouse. "Amy… what is that?"

Amy looked back at him, swallowing hard. She hadn't intended on sharing this with him until the right moment came along. "It's nothing Sheldon – don't worry about it –"

"Don't worry about it?" He cried, running his thumb over it again. "There's a small stick lodged beneath the skin of my girlfriend's arm and you're telling me to 'not worry about it'?"

She looked around at her friends, who were watching on quietly. Opening her mouth to speak, she met Sheldon's eyes. "Please, Sheldon – let's talk about it later –"

With that, he was up out of his chair, heading for the ludicrous, as he so often did. "What are you, Amy Farrah Fowler? Some kind of spy, monitored via a microchip device? Or are you being tracked, by some sort of intelligence agency? This is about the death ray isn't it? Well I'm not giving away a thing, I –"

Bernadette came to Amy's rescue, standing to pat Sheldon on the shoulder. "Sheldon, stop being ridiculous." She looked around at the rest of the group. "Come on, everyone, let's go over to Penny's, give these two some space."

Penny was already up, gathering her things. The other three boys stared at Amy. "Now!" Bernadette snapped, and they were all out the door within seconds.

Sheldon narrowed his eyes at Amy, backing away from her slightly. "What are you hiding?"

Amy stood, slowly, and shook her head. "Nothing, Sheldon, I promise."

"Then what is it?"

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. Panic was beginning to set in; what if this scared him off? What if his Christian upbringing caused him to feel strongly against it? "I wasn't going to tell you just yet… Sheldon, it's a contraceptive."

He tilted his head and she watched the words sink in, realization dawning on him. It seemed to have stumped him completely, and he was glancing from her face to her arm, trying to come up with something to say. "When…?"

"Bernadette and I went together, the other day." She replied, feeling awkward. Explaining her reasons to him may prove to be difficult, it was hard to tell. "She suggested I look at getting it done… after what you said at Comic Con…"

His body had relaxed some, but he was still keeping a distance from her. It appeared he had a million things he wanted to say, but couldn't choose. "I see."

"Please don't be mad…" She began, sensing the immense tension in the air.

"I'm not…" He responded quietly, staring at the floor. Something was itching at him, and he had no idea why. He looked up at her. "What if we did, Amy?"

Her heart started to race and she looked at him quizzically. "Did what?"

Sheldon stepped toward her, his breathing quickening. "Engage in coitus?"

She watched his every move; the way his bright blue eyes pierced her own with curiosity, fear, excitement… the way his chest rose and fell with nerves. Should she take the opportunity to 'seduce' him?

Frozen on the spot, he looked frightened, nervous, reluctant and desperate – all at once, and something about that sent chills down Amy's spine. She inhaled deeply, straightening her back slightly, and slowly closed the gap between them. They were so close now, and she could hear his breath at her ear, rapid and shallow.

Tilting her head up, she glanced at his eyes, which were focused intently on her. Gently, she placed a tiny kiss on his neck, just above the collar of his t-shirt and he gasped, shivering. Boldly – as she had been taught – she locked her eyes with his and slowly unbuttoned the first few buttons of her blouse, revealing the deep crimson of her lacey bra.

He couldn't take his eyes off it, off _her_. The red against her milky skin was mesmerizing, and every part of him was screaming to touch it. As if she could read his thoughts, Amy took his wrist and guided his fingers along the edge, allowing them to dip underneath as they had once before. She let go, and he continued to explore, tentatively. Placing another light kiss on his neck, Penny's words echoed in her head. _Never let him have it on the first try…_

She smiled cheekily at him and pulled back, turning to leave, but before she got far she was tugged back, Sheldon crashing his lips against her own. The kiss was hard, feverish, full of acute longing and desperation, and he drew her in close. Their tongues touched and sparks shot through him. He broke away and looked at her through clouded eyes. "Why are you doing this?" He whispered.

She decided not to answer him, and – despite her body begging her to proceed to his room – stood up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. Mustering all of her courage, she trailed the tips of her fingers across the bulge in his tight purple pants, as gentle as a butterfly kiss and he whimpered quietly. "I love you."

Perhaps she was a seductress like her bestie, after all.


	23. Chapter 23

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay – chapter twenty-three! So sorry for the long delay with this one – life has gotten in the way a little this week and I've just not had as much time as usual. I am just baffled by the incredible response I'm getting for this story – thank you so, so much to my readers and reviewers. Please, please don't hate me for this chapter; once again, please _have faith_. I really enjoyed writing this one, hope you enjoy it too.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 23**

_Did that just happen?_

After leaving Sheldon standing motionless in the middle of his apartment, Amy had walked out the door, without so much as a goodbye. He stared blankly at the closed door, frozen in shock from her enticing actions. Shaking his head, he huffed at the strain in his pants, pants that Amy had touched… just then…

Storming into his bedroom, he tore open his nightstand drawer and grabbed out the small black box he'd bought only hours earlier, and tossed it into the bin. "Won't be needing these any more…" He mumbled to himself, sitting on the edge of his bed.

His mind was swimming with thoughts – hell, it was _drowning_. Suppressing his urges was proving to be a huge challenge, and it was becoming clearer that he _did_ want it. He wanted _her._ She clouded his every judgment now, and it was infuriating. He was a man of science, a man who had devoted his every moment to his work with minimal distraction. Why was Amy making this so difficult for him? Didn't she understand it was already hard enough?

The red of her lacy bra was burned into his mind, and he swore he could still feel her fingertips grazing over him. It was like his senses had heightened; her touch shooting through him like an electric shock, tingling at the tips of his fingers and toes. The way she smelt… the way she laughed… how soft her skin was beneath his fingers…

Panic began to set in and he took a deep breath, lying back on the bed.

He needed some time to himself.

* * *

><p><em>Did that just happen?<em>

Amy flung open her front door and fell into the chair beside it, grinning stupidly. Had she _really_ just successfully seduced the great Sheldon Cooper?

She giggled to herself, arousal and excitement fueling her adrenaline rush, and exhaled loudly. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected to pull that off – it had left her feeling strong, confident, beautiful. Gently – ever so gently – she had touched him; in a place where she was quite certain a woman had never touched him before… and felt the evidence of how she had succeeded…

Giggling again, she hopped up out of her seat and kicked off her shoes, traipsing into the kitchen to pour herself a drink. She leant against the edge of the counter, and jumped as her phone vibrated next to her. The screen glowed and she could see 'Sheldon' illuminated across it.

_I propose a date night tomorrow evening – shall we meet at your place at, say, 6pm? _

She grinned; how spontaneous of him. This couldn't have been a result of her seductive ways, could it?

_I'd like that – 6pm sounds great._

Pausing her hasty typing, she considered her words carefully. Should she push his buttons further?

_Have fun after I left?_

Before she could think about it more, she tapped the send button and squeezed her eyes shut, chewing on her thumbnail as she waited for his response. The phone buzzed in her hand and her eyes flew open, and her jaw dropped at his response.

_Perhaps…_

* * *

><p>"Where's Sheldon?" Penny asked Leonard quietly, straightening up the pillows on the cracked leather couch and taking a seat.<p>

Leonard shrugged and passed her a hot drink. "In his room I think. After everyone left your place, I came back and he hasn't emerged since." He smirked. "You don't think Amy's in there with him, do you?"

Penny chuckled and tucked her legs underneath her. "Nah, she's home – she messaged me just before." She looked over her shoulders, as if she were checking no one was within earshot and leant in to Leonard. "I know why Sheldon's hiding away!"

Leonard looked at her skeptically, taking a sip of his coffee. "Why?"

"Amy touched his junk!" Penny blurted, her face cracking into a huge grin.

Leonard sprayed coffee everywhere and spluttered. "What?"

She sighed and turned to face him squarely. "Well not his _actual_ junk... just his pants… and he was… pants happy!"

Leonard cringed and shook his head. "Why are you telling me this? I do not want to know…"

Penny rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on – you so do!"

"No, I don't." He maintained, picking up a game controller and rolling up the cord. "Did Amy actually tell you that?"

"Yeah, she tells me everything," Penny replied, and then frowned, "and I mean _everything…_"

Standing, Leonard put the controllers away and tidied the remainder of the mess the group had abandoned an hour earlier. There was something he wanted to ask her, but just wasn't sure how. "So Penny… that thing Amy has in her arm that Bernadette was telling us about… would you… consider getting something like that done?"

Penny eyed him carefully, narrowing her eyes as he sat back down beside her. "Why…?"

Leonard shuffled awkwardly, immediately regretting his words. "Well… you know… it would mean we wouldn't have to be quite as careful with condoms and stuff…" He trailed off, feeling his cheeks flush. Bad decision.

Leaning back in her spot, Penny crossed her arms over her chest. The thought had crossed her mind, but her experiences in the past had caused her to become wary and she stuck to what she knew. Staring at him blankly, she took a small breath. "Um…"

"Forget it," Leonard said, putting his hands in the air, "it was a stupid question…"

"No," she replied, shaking her head, "it wasn't. Let me think about it, okay?"

Nodding, Leonard pulled her in toward him and reached for the remote, flicking through the channels lazily. Penny yawned and nuzzled into his chest. "Did you wanna stay at mine tonight? Have a little bit of privacy…?"

Leonard's eyes shot down to Penny's cheeky smile, and he smirked back, getting a good eyeful of her cleavage down the front of her bright pink top. "Sure…"

She giggled and nibbled on his neck, tugging him off the couch and running across to her apartment.

* * *

><p>"Yes, Mother, I know – you have told me time and time again, and I have apologized for Sheldon's absence –"<p>

Tucking the phone between her cheek and shoulder, Amy sighed and took out her frustration on the slimy brain laying flat on her counter, slicing her scalpel straight down the middle. Her mother's grating voice had been in her ear for the past half hour, complaining that she was yet to meet her boyfriend in the flesh.

"Amy, I understand that Sheldon may have been busy but we were all just so… excited to meet him in person. I want to see what this boy is truly like. And now your aunts and uncles keep asking me if Sheldon truly is just like that Armand boy you made up…" She continued, ignoring Amy completely.

Amy pursed her lips, struggling to contain her frustration and a few choice words. She switched the phone across to the other ear and cut the brain in half again, roughly. What a waste. "You met him via video chat, Mother, you know he's real…"

Her mother sighed. "Yes, I remember quite clearly."

Suppressing a smile, Amy bit her lip. It had taken _months _for Amy to convince her mother that Sheldon had just been joking; that his crude revelations about their non-existent sex life were all a part of his unusual sense of humour. She had not been impressed. "Well, then, you know he's real. I'm sure you'll get to meet him some time… perhaps we'll come and visit. One day soon."

"No, no, Amy, I'm afraid that won't do." She said, and Amy groaned. It went unnoticed. "I am coming to visit. Tomorrow."

Amy slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, no, Mother – you don't need to do that, I'll bring Sheldon up soon – we're both very busy with work and –"

"Nonsense!" She replied. "I'll just come for one night, we can have dinner and I can find out what the deal is with you and this… doctor."

Knowing there was no reasoning with her, Amy huffed and put down her scalpel, leaning her hip against the counter. "Fine, I'll see you tomorrow, then."

After a swift goodbye, Amy hung up the phone and peeled away her gloves, rubbing her eyes, aggravated. Her relationship with her mother was strained, to say the least, and having her in town – in her apartment – was going to be draining. The questions she would ask… Amy groaned again, taking the scalpel and thrusting it into the brain, where it stayed and stuck straight up in the air. "Fuck…" She mumbled, a habit that was so unlike her. It was Howard's fault.

"Amy Farrah Fowler – that is especially foul language coming out of your mouth!" Came a familiar voice from behind her, and she jumped, knocking the scalpel flying. She spun around, a hand to her chest, and met the dreamy blue eyes of Sheldon Cooper.

They caught her off guard, as they so often did. "Sheldon – hi."

He looked at her strangely and tilted his head, entering the room. "Hello…"

She shook her head, her mind coming back to reality. Bending down, she picked up the scalpel and placed it on the counter again. "What brings you here, aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Watching her every move, closer than normal, Sheldon shrugged and came to stand beside her. "I decided to take my lunch break off-site today…" He looked down at her work and frowned. "Amy – I may not be a neurobiologist but that brain most certainly appears to be a little… butchered."

She stared at it too; the slice hacked into five haggard sections, juices everywhere, with no logical division of the specimen. Pursing her lips, she sighed. "Yes. It was a… practice run."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and shuffled, suddenly feeling tension in the room. Multiple forms of tension. "Well, I was thinking that perhaps I could eat my lunch with you, assuming you have time available now. Which it appears you do… given the time you have spent on butchering this brain and muttering profanities…"

Amy sighed and stripped off her lab coat, sensing his eyes on her as she did so. She needed a break anyway, and reached into her bag for her sandwich she had made earlier. "Sure."

They took a seat at the clear end of her bench, as they often did, and were silent as they arranged their food. Sheldon looked up from his sashimi and trailed his eyes over her, along the lilac of her cardigan and up to the sheer white fabric of her blouse. Suddenly his sister's voice was in his head, telling him that the only true colour that could not be seen beneath white clothing was red. Interesting…

"Sheldon?" Amy's voice chimed and he broke the stare, meeting her gaze and promptly refocusing on his lunch. _Focus, Cooper. _"You seem distracted… everything okay?"

"Is everything okay?" He parroted, questioning himself. "Oh, yes. Everything's fine."

She eyed him carefully and took a bite of her sandwich. He was lying, but unwilling to give away more. "Alright. How was your morning at work? Did you get that paper submitted like you were hoping?"

Reaching across the bench, she slid her phone toward her, and he watched as a finger slid along the screen to unlock it. The same fingers that… no, he couldn't do this. He had to say something. Placing his fork down with a clang, he folded his hands and looked her in the eye. "Amy – as per the Relationship Agreement, it is mandatory that we discuss the events of last night."

Amy looked completely taken back, shaking her head and putting down her half eaten sandwich. "What would you like to discuss?" She threw back at him, curious to see if he could muster the courage to actually initiate the conversation.

He straightened his back and blinked at her, contemplating his every word. "I find myself… perplexed by your oddly alluring behaviour. It has me baffled, and - quite frankly – I feel that the issue should be addressed so I no longer have to endure this tiresome pondering."

A smile instantly painted itself on her lips. "'Alluring?'"

He ignored her and pressed on. "Amy…"

"Fine," She conceded, leaning forward, "what is it that's got you pondering?"

Sheldon took a deep breath and wrung his hands together. It took him a moment for formulate his sentence. "What are you doing?"

That stumped her. "Eating lunch, with you."

"No," He said, exasperated, "last night… the other night on Skype… what are you up to?"

She knew precisely what he meant. "An experiment…"

Slowly, teasingly, she ran her free hand along his thigh beneath the counter, and he leapt up, pointing at her. "_That!_" He cried, shaking his head. "What is _that?_"

Standing up from her spot, she sighed and dumped the remainder of her sandwich into the bin. Tugging the lab coat back over her shoulders, she headed back across to her work. "Sheldon, you know what _that _is. I'm sorry if perhaps you don't like it –"

"No." He said flatly, suddenly beside her again. "No – disliking it is _not_ the issue."

Amy dragged her eyes away from the mangled brain on her counter and met Sheldon's eyes once again, making her heart flutter. How had he gotten so close? "Then what is it?" She asked softly, unable to look away.

He swallowed visibly and tilted his head to the side, staring right back. "I told you I may not turn it down should the right moment come along… the right moment seems to be coming along a lot more often than I had thought it would…" He trailed off, obviously anxious. "Amy… I have _never_ felt the way I felt when you touched me yesterday…"

She felt her breath catch and bit her lip, watching as he edged closer to her. "Did you like it?" She asked quietly.

"Yes…" He whispered, now towering over her.

His hot breath was hitting her cheek, and she felt a hand brush against her hip lightly. She needed to regain her composure, fast. "Perhaps the right moment will come along a lot sooner than you think…"

The words had hardly come out of her mouth and he caught her lips in a kiss, backing her into the counter roughly. She immediately relented, falling into him and pushing back with matching ferocity. The air was knocked out of her lungs, and she felt a wave of panic and excitement at the thought of him taking her on the laboratory counter. But, almost as soon as it began, it ended – short and sweet, sending an unspoken message.

He backed away, shaking his head and exhaling. "I'll see you at six, right?"

Holding a hand to her lips, legs shaky, she nodded and watched him leave her lab hastily. How soon would the right moment come along?

* * *

><p>Sheldon didn't go back to work after his lunch with Amy, instead he called the university, informing them he was ill and had to go home early. He caught the first available bus to his apartment, rushed up the stairs and parked himself in front of his laptop.<p>

What was he going to do?

He felt angry and elated all at once. Despite having zero expertise in the area of pragmatics, he knew that the message he had just sent Amy was loud and clear. And that _maddeningly human _part of him was rejoicing.

Why had he done that?

This was all her fault. She had extracted these urges from him. She had turned into a tempting vixen, constantly testing his strength. She had caused this.

Hadn't she?

Something had told him to kiss her, to tell her that the time was right and her attempts had been _highly _successful. Something inside him that he didn't know.

Who was he?

Staring at the blank laptop screen, he shook the mouse to wake it up and headed straight for Google, typing in words that would make his mother shriek. A whirlwind of results popped up on his page, and he instantly hit the big red cross in the upper right hand corner.

He couldn't doubt himself.

If he did go through with it, if the right moment _did_ come along, he knew all there was to know. He would not fail at this. Quite the contrary – he would excel; for the first time his body matched his intellect and there was _no _doubt that he was sufficiently equipped for the task.

Taking a deep breath, he got out of his chair and headed for the couch, grabbing a controller and slipping a game into the console.

He needed a distraction.

* * *

><p>Peak hour traffic was positively infuriating.<p>

Amy had left work on time, walking out the doors at bang on four thirty, and yet there she was; stuck behind a white Toyota Camry blaring it's horn at the vehicle in front of it. She glanced at the clock – twelve minutes past five. In forty-eight minutes she was due to meet Sheldon, and she was still at least another five blocks from her home.

Aggravated no end, she flicked on the radio and leant her head back, slipping the car into neutral. Her afternoon at the lab had been cumbersome and unproductive; her fleeting visit from Sheldon completely throwing her entire day off. A good part of her afternoon was spent processing what had occurred, running scenarios and explanations through her head.

It all came back to one answer.

Her stomach flipped at the thought. Surely she was wrong. Surely Sheldon hadn't been suggesting that they engage in intercourse _that night?_

No. She had decided earlier – the message must have been incorrect, muddled along the line. He was just exploring his newly found affection, and expressing his feelings on the night prior. She would return back to her original plan for the evening; doll up a little, seduce and enjoy.

The thought of what she still needed to prepare at home caused her to bang the steering wheel and curse at the traffic ahead of her, having moved only a few meters in a span of five minutes. She was, unfortunately, no expert at make-up like her bestie, or even Bernadette, and knew it would take her a while to get herself sorted. And then there was the lingerie and what clothes to wear…

It was just too hard.

Amy sighed. She felt no pressing need to _impress_ Sheldon; feeling just as at home in her frumpy skirt and cardigan with not a spot of make-up, but was determined to entice him further. She was getting closer and closer, she could feel it.

Finally the traffic began to move, and within another fifteen minutes she was parking her car and racing into her apartment like a lunatic. She threw her bags down and tore off her clothing, jumping into a quick shower. Once out, she tugged the towel around her tightly and made a dash for her bedroom, picking out her new crimson lingerie and a high-waisted A-line skirt Penny had given her with a simple top. Tucking the remaining fabric into the top of her skirt, she twisted in her newly purchased full-length mirror, assessing the ensemble. She sighed. It would have to do.

She glanced at her watch, realizing she had less than ten minutes before Sheldon was due to arrive. Pulling out a mascara wand and a blush brush, she got to work as Penny had taught her, as quickly as she could. Staring into the mirror in front of her, she felt odd – barely recognizing herself. Not because of the make-up, or nice clothes, or the way her partially wet hair had been twisted into a fancy knot on top of her head, but because of the sheer look of excited apprehension written all of over face.

At that moment – six o'clock on the dot – she heard a set of knocks and her name, then a tiny 'drat' and the sound of keys clunking in the lock. She shook her head and giggled, heading out into the living area.

Sheldon opened the door slowly and peered around, looking for her. "Amy?"

"Hello, Sheldon." She said brightly from the kitchen, waving him over. His arms were full, one hand holding a canvas bag and the other arm supporting a large pizza box. She took the box from him and placed it on the counter, smiling sweetly as she did so.

He watched her intently, desperately trying to maintain eye contact rather than allowing his gaze to wander over her seemingly new outfit. "Thank you." He said, and slung his bag over his head. "Originally, I was intending on going out for dinner, but when Leonard dropped me off here he mentioned that they were going to be having pizza – so I made him take me back to the pizzeria and get one for the two of us. I got the regular – I trust that will be suitable…?"

Amy grinned at him as she pulled plates from the cupboard and led him across to her small couch. "That's fine, Sheldon, thank you."

He seemed fidgety, and promptly returned back to his canvas bag, fishing about. "I brought a couple of movies – well, they're not truly 'movies', documentaries in fact. You have the following categories to select from: natural disasters, man-made miracles, secrets of the – oh hey! Star Trek Nemesis – how did that get in here?"

Opening the pizza box, Amy took a slice and began to dig in. "I don't mind Sheldon – whatever you prefer."

"In that case – it appears that the universe was on my side this evening; I have been wanting to re-watch this DVD for weeks… but haven't been able to find it…" Sheldon waffled, bringing the disc over and popping it into the player.

Amy rolled her eyes as the Star Trek menu appeared on screen. "That was a poor decision on my part…"

Sheldon – who was busily taking a large bite out of his pizza slice – shook his head adamantly. "Nonsense! It was a fantastic choice, if I don't say so myself…"

Before long, the two were settled in, Amy bored beyond belief and Sheldon immersed in the show. She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye; he was fixed to the screen, completely still, but didn't really appear to be watching all that closely. Sighing, she tidied the plates, taking them to the kitchen to be washed, and returned, taking a seat considerably closer to him.

"Sheldon?" She asked quietly, watching him shuffle uncomfortably at the sudden proximity.

"Yes?" He replied, keeping his eyes glued to the screen.

She looked at him skeptically. "Haven't you seen this multiple times before?"

Finally, he shot her a quick glance, an acknowledgement of her communication. "I have… however I have viewed this particular DVD at my apartment, Raj's apartment and Howard's mother's house – I have never, however, watched it here, and that can truly alter the viewing experience, apparently."

Amy raised an eyebrow in his direction and nodded slowly. "I see…"

Another fifteen minutes went by and Amy sat by, completely disinterested in the DVD. She was absorbedly observing Sheldon's behaviour, which was quite odd; his eyes focused on only one section of the television screen, the occasional wander of his gaze across to her, his hand twitching as if it had a mind of it's own. Despite the 'distraction' of the television, the tension in the air was building – quickly.

Perhaps she would start small, feeling her heart leaping out of her chest at the prospect of overtly teasing her boyfriend on her couch in her very empty apartment. Slowly, she tugged the hem of her checked skirt half way up her thigh and crossed one leg across the other, a position that she rarely took on. Although Sheldon's eyes didn't budge from the screen, she could almost feel the tension rise thickly in the room.

It wouldn't do. She tilted her head to the side, leaning lightly on his shoulder, prompting a tiny jump out of him. He could hear her soft breath in his ear; feel her cheek burning into his shoulder – maintaining his focus on the DVD was proving to be difficult.

The collar of his red t-shirt was only inches from her lips, and she suddenly felt a surge of confidence, placing a tiny kiss along the edge, and then another. His entire body stiffened and he gulped, well aware of her intentions. She lightly trailed the very tips of her fingers once again over his thigh, drifting from his knee, slowly up along the inner side of his thigh and arriving centimeters from his crotch. He gasped and she saw the tiniest twitch beneath the fabric, inspiring her to trail her nails across his growing frustration.

"Amy…" He growled, in a voice that was so deep and so hoarse that she barely recognized it.

Her hand stilled on the spot and she looked up at him, her gaze flickering from his eyes to his lips. She would take control, of this moment at least. Gently, she kissed him, and felt her breath disappear as his eyes fluttered closed and he kissed back. It was full of yearning and uncertainty, and pent up desire that had been brewing for so long. She snuck her tongue along his lower lip and he instantly granted her access, pressing back against her. Boldly, she pushed down gently against the hardness beneath her hand, and within seconds found herself on her back.

The kiss was broken, and he hovered above her, staring at her curiously. She watched him carefully, and his lack of movement began to distress her. "Sheldon…"

He captured her lips again, harder, and grazed his hand across her breast. A flash of that _damn_ red lace bra crossed his mind and he found himself tugging at the base of her top, demanding that it be removed. She instantly obliged, pulling away and jerking the shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor. He gaped at the sight of the crimson fabric against her skin, the way it pushed up her bust and created a well-defined amount of cleavage. His heart raced as he tentatively brought a finger up and traced the outline slowly, dipping beneath the edge to feel the rough skin of her nipple. She gasped and threw her head back, praying that he wouldn't stop.

Somehow, his free hand had wandered to her thigh, and she hiked the skirt up until his touch found the soft skin of her upper thigh. He hesitated, withdrawing it away, so she grasped his wrist and placed it on her inner thigh, between them. His eyes found hers; seeking permission, and she gave him a tiny nod. Shyly, gently, he grazed his fingers across the outside of her panties, feeling her heat, and then hooked his finger under the edge, slipping it beneath the sheer red fabric. He brushed across her soft skin, stroked as he had read to, and she arched her back beneath him, moaning. Immediately, anxiety and dread snuck up on him; the fear of the unknown making his head spin.

One look at his face and Amy knew, and promptly pushed him upright and straddled his hips. She would never, ever make him do anything that caused him discomfort, and she knew this would be a long road. Cupping his face between her hands, she kissed him lightly on the lips, and then trailed the kiss down his neck, making him shudder and grind against her. She wanted _him _to understand how good this could be; she wanted to learn together. Catching his gaze, she ran her hands along his torso, feeling every curve of muscle, every dip, until she could touch no further and scooted off the couch to kneel in front of him. Their eye contact had never broken, and she watched as panic flashed across his face as she reached for his belt buckle, and he grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Amy, I…"

He took in a deep, ragged breath and surprised her, reaching for the buckle himself. A click and a zip and his pants were gone, tossed aside with her top. He closed his eyes and battled ferociously with the fear that was threatening to take him over, the vulnerability that was begging him to run. Amy tore her eyes away from his now closed ones, and admired him in his underwear, her heart skipping multiple beats when she saw his size. She involuntarily gasped; sure, she had seen penises before in erotic footage, but _never _would she have imagined it would be quite that big…

Pushing the thought aside, for now, she dipped her fingers beneath the waistband and traced the length of him lightly, watching in awe as his entire body stiffened and he moaned her name softly. She repeated the action, more confidently this time, and looked up to find his eyes now fixed on her, lids drooped and mouth slightly ajar. "Amy…" He said again, saying so much, giving her permission.

Before they could go any further, a loud, heavy knock sounded at her front door.

"Amy, it's your mother!"


	24. Chapter 24

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> OKAY! Chapter twenty four… finally! Once again, my apologies for the delay – the chapter is actually almost a double length hence why it has been a little slower coming. This is a big chapter, and I ask that you **please observe the new rating. **Please enjoy and don't forget to review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 24**

Amy's eyes shot up to Sheldon's, wide and jolted back to reality. The raucous knocking was still echoing in his ears, a pound for every heartbeat that raced in his chest. He gulped and looked back at her, breathing hard. Her _mother_ was at the door, requesting entrance, and yet all he could focus on was the mess of a topless woman kneeling between his legs.

"Amy, are you home?" Mrs. Fowler called, knocking again.

In front of him, Amy unhooked her hand from within his briefs and pushed away from him, panting slightly from the excitement of the moment. She looked positively wild and frightened all at once, staring him straight in the eye. His mind was a jumble of flying thoughts, and he couldn't grasp one of them, couldn't process a thing. Had he really just given her silent permission?

Another impatient knock. "Amy?"

Amy's gaze broke and she gasped, suddenly frantic. She grabbed his pants and tossed them toward him. "Sorry, Mother – won't be long!" Tugging her top back over her head, she jerked her head toward the bathroom and spoke quietly. "Go!"

Scrambling up out of his spot, he rushed off into the bathroom, closing the door and locking it behind him, leaning against it. "Dear _Lord…_"

Closing his eyes, he allowed his brain to replay the events of the previous hour, over and over until he was sure it was raw. There had been panic, fear; all of the things he dreaded, and yet he had fought it. He had bravely pushed past his terrifying fear of contamination from another being, and willingly, happily _touched _her. And she had touched him, the same way. And then there had been so much _pleasure…_

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and pulled his pants over his hips, clicking his belt back into place. Looking in the mirror, he barely recognized himself; disheveled, flushed, excited. Another ten minutes, and they could have been in her bed, writhing beneath the sheets. His stomach dropped at the thought.

Outside the door, he heard Amy's pleasant greeting. "Hello, Mother! How are you? I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!"

Mrs. Fowler's fragile voice responded, with an edge of irritation. "A mother can't surprise her daughter a day early? What took you so long to answer the door? You know it is rude to keep a guest waiting…"

"You know it's rude to interrupt a couple on a date…" Sheldon mumbled, flicking on the tap and washing his hands thoroughly with liquid soap. He shook his head again, feeling oddly frustrated, blocked. What was he supposed to do now?

"My apologies Mother, I was using the bathroom. I also have a guest, I'm sure you'll wish to meet him – Sheldon!" Amy's voice rang and he jumped, hesitating before opening the bathroom door and stepping out.

Amy's mother was just as he had seen her via video chat, small and frail and slightly withered. She leant against Amy's counter, brown leather handbag still draped over her shoulder, with the slightest look of apprehension as she looked him up and down. "Hello, Sheldon. How nice to finally meet you."

Her voice was cold, and he found himself burying a myriad of rude remarks he wished to make. Where was this hostility coming from? "And you, Mrs. Fowler."

Amy's eyes darted up from the mugs she was heaping sugar into, sensing the taut atmosphere. "Yes, Mother, now you can tell the family that Sheldon most definitely is real. Tea or coffee?"

"Tea, thank you." Mrs. Fowler folded her hands together and she eyed Sheldon. "So, Sheldon, I trust that you have been treating my daughter with the utmost respect?"

Amy's bright eyes looking up at him from between his legs popped into his mind and he felt his hand twitch nervously. An hour ago he could have said yes with more confidence. "Of course."

She peered at him and nodded, making it clear that their initial introduction had tarnished her perception of him. Aloofly, she turned back to Amy and took the cup of tea, taking a small sip. "Amy tells me that you're a renowned theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology. That's quite a title."

Sheldon remained still on the spot, irked by this woman. He felt as though he were being scrutinized, questioned, and was struggling to maintain his composure. "Senior theoretical particle physicist," he corrected, and Amy shot him a look, "it most certainly is… quite the title."

Mrs. Fowler gave him a polite yet deathly smile, and took another sip of her tea. She turned back to her daughter, who was holding her hot drink stiffly between her hands. "Will Sheldon be staying the night?"

Amy set down the cup roughly, slopping liquid all over the bench. She didn't blink an eyelid. "No, no – he was just leaving before you arrived, weren't you, Sheldon?"

Those eyes looked across at him again, providing him with an escape. "Yes, yes I was just leaving."

Mrs. Fowler tilted her head, and glanced at her watch on her skinny wrist. "So early? That's a shame, I was hoping to get to know you a little better, Sheldon…"

Amy came to his rescue, crossing the floor to him and placing an arm around his waist. The unexpected contact sent chills down his spine. "Yes, unfortunately Sheldon has to work tomorrow. Perhaps we can catch up again tomorrow?" Without waiting for a response, she propelled him to the door, swinging it open. Snaking a hand around his neck, she pulled him in for a soft kiss, completely removing the air from his lungs. "Goodnight, Sheldon."

"Goodnight," he replied weakly, giving her a tiny smile and stiff wave back in her mother's direction.

Before he knew it, the door was closed and he was standing in the hallway, staring aimlessly. The entire evening had thrown him completely, and he now felt utterly confused. Shaking his head, he began to descend the stairs and pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing Leonard's number.

"Hey, Sheldon." Leonard answered, a twinge of aggravation in his voice.

Sheldon pushed open the heavy doors to the apartment building and stood on the sidewalk, unsure what to say. "Leonard, I need you to pick me up."

Leonard groaned. "Now?"

"Yes," Sheldon responded, kicking a stone beneath his foot grumpily. He had never felt so strange in his entire existence, and just wanted to get home.

The line was silent for a moment. "What's up?" Leonard said, concern laced in his voice.

"Could you please pick me up Leonard?" Sheldon persisted, reluctant to discuss his issues with Leonard over the phone.

"Alright…"

* * *

><p>Leonard hung up the phone and untangled himself from his golden haired girlfriend, who he had spent the past hour making out with. He sighed as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Don't go – make Sheldon catch a bus…"<p>

Shaking his head, he reached for his jumper and pulled it over his head. "No… something was wrong, he didn't sound like himself at all."

Tugging the sheet up around her half naked bust, she leant against the headboard and huffed. "Leonard – I think Sheldon can look after himself. Besides, can't Amy take him home?"

He shrugged and sat back down on the edge of her brightly coloured bed, tying his shoelaces. "I guess, but it really did sound like something wasn't right. It won't take me long, I'll pick him up and be straight back, I promise."

Penny pouted and sank back into the covers. "Fine."

Grabbing his keys, Leonard rushed down the stairs and into his car, eager to get back and pick up where they'd left off. Reversing out, he sped over to Amy's apartment, cussing at Sheldon for tearing him away from his night with Penny.

Pulling up out the front, he squinted as a dark figure pushed away from the brickwork and sauntered across to the car, clambering in. "Hello, Leonard." Sheldon said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Leonard glanced at him, absorbing his slightly messy hair and lost expression. "What happened…?" He asked warily, pulling on the hand break.

Sheldon stared at his hands, and then shook his head. "I'm not really sure…" He paused. "Amy and I were…"

"Were…?" Leonard prompted, awaiting Sheldon's response.

He shuffled uncomfortably. "Were moments away from engaging in coitus when –"

A grin spread over Leonard's face and he couldn't help but cut in. "That's great, buddy! Oh wait – hold on… when…?"

Sheldon sighed and pursed his lips. "When Amy's mother arrived."

Leonard opened his mouth, and instantly closed it again, unsure of how to respond. The thought was both off-putting and humourous. "She walked in on the two of you…?"

His tall friend looked across at him, with a look of revulsion. "Oh, no, Leonard. Dear Lord, no." He repeated, the image of Mrs. Fowler standing in the doorway with Amy at his crotch suddenly etched into his mind. It made him feel sick. "She knocked."

Certain he was not going to be walloped with any more shocking information that would hinder his ability to drive, Leonard put the car in gear and took off. "So… why the sudden need to rush off home?"

"Well, after speaking briefly with Amy's mother – who I am positive has ill feelings toward me – Amy essentially kicked me out. Which has got me completely puzzled." He frowned, trying to put together the turn of events. "Although staying in the room any longer than necessary with that intolerable woman would have pushed my strength…"

Leonard considered Sheldon's words for a moment; uncertain whether any advice he provided him with would be helpful. "You know, Sheldon, in-laws can be tough…"

"How would you know," Sheldon snapped, "you have never met Penny's mother and for some bizarre reason her father thinks you're the ants pants. Besides, 'in-laws' come about when there's marriage."

"Uh, Sheldon," Leonard said, smirking, "I hate to tell you, but in-laws are a part of your life regardless of whether you're married or not."

Looking out the window at the bright lights that whizzed by, Sheldon huffed. He just wanted to get home. "It would seem so…"

Leonard was silent for a moment, digesting the information. "So… you and Amy, huh…?"

Sheldon shot him a scathing look. "I do not appreciate any form of mocking, thank you Leonard. Just because I am considering the prospect of intercourse with Amy does not give you permission to torment me."

"Sounds like you were doing a little more than considering it…" Leonard teased, grinning.

Sheldon pursed his lips, unwilling to give away any further information. Leonard was acting positively child-like. The remainder of the trip was silent, and before long Leonard had parked the car and rushed ahead to get back to Penny. Sheldon found himself traipsing up to his apartment and heading straight for the bathroom, peeling off his clothes and tossing them to the floor. As he stepped over the lip of the tub and under the steaming hot water, he stared down at the vibrant yellow adhesive ducks at his feet. They smiled back at him, happy and carefree and prepared for an imminent fall. The scorching water trailed down his back and across his chest, and he tipped his head back to let it run over his hair.

Breathing sharply, he withdrew himself from the stream and brushed the droplets away from his eyes, flicking his wet hair aside lightly. Something in him had persuaded him that he needed this; needed to wash everything away and start over. But it hadn't worked. He still felt just as frustrated, just as puzzled and just as excited as he had only an hour earlier.

Reaching for the soap, he lathered it between his hands and suddenly had a powerful rush of nausea. The memory of her soft skin beneath his fingers, of the sound of her gasp, the arch of her back, hit him like a truck and he found himself scrubbing at his hands roughly. And it wasn't the fear he was washing away, he was sure; it was the habit of feeling that fear.

His entire body felt achy and tense, and he stretched out slightly. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't dismiss the memory of the night, the feeling of her touch on his skin. He felt his heart flutter and tentatively reached down, caressing himself as she had, reminding himself that it had been real.

_So _real.

* * *

><p>The following day, Amy awoke to her mother cooking her a healthy breakfast and insisting she take her down for a tour of her workplace. After giving up her bed for her mother and considerately taking her tiny couch, Amy felt drained and most certainly not in the mood to take her mother sightseeing. Her night had been filled with tossing and turning, and dreams about Sheldon. Explicit dreams.<p>

Reluctantly, Amy got up, dressed and drove her chatty mother all the way down to her work, walking her through the halls until they arrived at her laboratory. With her hands clasped behind her back, Mrs. Fowler walked about the room, peering into jars and assessing notes. Analyzing, judging every detail.

"Well, Amy, it looks like your work is coming along well." She said curtly, wiping down a dusty section of bench space.

Amy took a deep breath and clenched her jaw, praying for self-control. She loved her mother dearly, yet since her arrival the evening prior she struggled to meet her eye. Whilst she had dealt with her father's demise and betrayal of her own accord, she still held many bitter emotions toward her mother, who never made any attempt to remove them from the situation. Their relationship was strained, to say the least. She liked her distance from her mother; it worked that way.

"It most certainly is." She replied, leaning against the counter and folding her arms. On any other day she would have felt far more pleased to boast about her work, but her mind was preoccupied. "I was thinking that this evening we could go out for Chinese, Sheldon could come with us and –"

Waving her hand dismissively, Mrs. Fowler straightened her back and looked up from the test tubes she was scrutinizing. "No, no – I want to meet all of your little friends! Given that I'm leaving in the morning it would be a lovely chance to get to know them - this is the first time you have ever had any real friends."

Amy bit her tongue, resisting the temptation to provide a smart remark. Her mother had a wonderful ability to rub salt into the wound, and then pour peroxide all over it. "Sure," she said through gritted teeth, "I'll find out if they're free."

Tugging her phone out of her handbag, she sighed disappointedly when she realized there were no messages from Sheldon on her screen. After pushing him out of her apartment the evening prior, she had sent him a message stating that she had forgotten to tell Sheldon about her mother's arrival, which technically was planned for the following day. He had not replied, and it seemed she would need to be the one breaking the ice.

_My mother wants to see you again, and meet the group. Could I bring her over for Chinese tonight?_

"So, Amy, does Sheldon often stay over at your apartment?" Her mother pried, narrowing her eyes at her from across the counter.

Amy snapped her head up and gave her a sour look. "Not that it's any of your business, Mother, but no; Sheldon does not often stay over."

It appeared that neither answer would have been acceptable, as Mrs. Fowler stuck her nose up slightly. "I see."

Amy's phone buzzed quietly in her hand and she checked the message.

_I will have to consult Leonard as to our catering for food and seating arrangements._

Rolling her eyes, she huffed. No sooner had she placed the phone back onto the bench top did it vibrate again.

_He said it's fine. Why haven't you attempted to communicate with me since last night?_

Shaking her head, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Another simple break down in communication. She typed quickly, aware that her mother was growing disinterested. _You never replied to my text… __I thought you didn't want to talk to me._

"Alright, Amy, where to next? Oh, I know - how about we go to lunch at a lovely little café and then you take me to a local museum?" Mrs. Fowler suggested, writing off Amy's entire afternoon.

Grabbing her bag, Amy followed her mother down the hallway and back toward her car. "Sure…" She said quietly, desperately waiting for this day to be over. In her hand, her phone buzzed again.

_I always want to talk to you, Amy._

The words sunk in and before she knew it, Amy was bouncing back to her car, far more enthusiastic about the prospect for lunch with her mother.

* * *

><p>Late that afternoon, Sheldon was playing a heated round of Mario Kart 64 with Leonard after arriving home from work. His day had been entirely counterproductive, making no further advancements with any of his work. Instead, he had spent the entire day attempting to distract himself from the vixen that was Amy Farrah Fowler.<p>

Mario Kart was proving to be a high quality distraction. Despite his inability to drive – both on Mario Kart and in real life – he was considerably ahead of Leonard, not quite in first place but gaining quickly. The game was heating up, so he inched forward on his seat, raising the bulky controlled into the air.

"Aw, Sheldon! Did you leave bananas all over the track?" Leonard whined, thrusting an arm in the arm.

Sheldon couldn't help but smirk devilishly. "It may have been… however there _are _another six characters taking part in the grand prix… could have been anyone…"

Leonard groaned. "Well, thanks a lot, now I'm in eighth position…"

"Ha-ha!" Sheldon teased in response, bringing up the rear of Toad, who was pulling in first place. Only meters from the finish line, he overtook Toad and leapt out of his seat, and was then suddenly hit by a spiky blue shell, throwing his character into the air. His victory was lost. "Oh, no!"

Flopping back into his spot, he huffed and glared at Leonard, who was laughing. "Sorry, Sheldon, but you're just never going to beat any of us at Mario Kart."

At that very moment, Penny stuck her head in through the doorway. "Hi, guys!" She said brightly, letting herself in.

Leonard jumped out of his seat immediately, swaggering over to plant a kiss upon her lips. "Hey! How was work?"

"Oh, it was just great!" She replied sarcastically, pulling her hair away from her face. Leaning against the edge of the couch, she looked at Sheldon. "Hi, Sheldon!"

"Hello, Penny." Sheldon said darkly, still glaring at Leonard, his arms folded over his chest.

Penny smirked and tilted her head to one side sympathetically. "What's the matter sweetie?"

Taking a seat beside him, he turned to her, ready to tell on her boyfriend, but Leonard cut in first. "Oh, don't worry about him – he was cock-blocked by his mother-in-law last night…"

Penny's jaw dropped. "_What?_"

Sheldon shook his head vehemently, sending a scathing look in Leonard's direction. "No, no Penny –" He stopped and shot his gaze back to Leonard, the words sinking in. "I'm sorry – 'cock-blocked'?"

Over in the kitchen, Leonard stuffed a handful of potato chips in his mouth and shrugged. "Sheldon and Amy were fooling around and Amy's mom showed up!"

Penny, mouth still agape, turned back to Sheldon. "She _saw _you?"

Once again, Sheldon found himself shaking his head violently, his cheeks warming. "No, she didn't _see_ anything –"

Penny was still processing the information. "And I'm sorry – _'fooling around'_?"

"Yes… well, no…" Sheldon struggled to form a sentence, and heard Leonard chuckle from across the room. "Shut it, Leonard."

"Why haven't I heard from Amy about this?" Penny cried incredulously. "Okay – you _have _to tell me what happened!"

Sheldon instantly clammed up; he did not wish to discuss his sexual encounter with Penny, especially whilst Leonard was in the room. "I don't think that will be necessary –"

Penny gave him a deathly stare and poked him in the chest. "Sheldon Cooper you will tell me _exactly _what happened or I will call your mother and tell her my own version!"

Sighing, he wrung his hands together in his lap, staring at them. "Amy and I were watching Star Trek Nemesis – oh, by the way, Leonard I found it; it was in that bag I took –"

"Don't change the subject." Penny snapped and he recoiled slightly.

"Amy and I were watching Star Trek Nemesis, eating pizza, when we began to – as Leonard _insists _on putting it – 'fool around'. We were considerably intimate when Amy's mother arrived, knocking on the door." He finished, feeling his face burn.

Penny was silent for a moment and then began to smile. "And when you say 'considerably intimate' you mean…?"

"No, Penny, we did not engage in sexual intercourse if that is what you are asking. And _no, _I will not provide you with any further details of our encounter."

Pouting, Penny crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Fine. I'll ask Amy when she comes over later."

Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Oh, and you'll get to meet her mother."

"Her mother? She's coming here, tonight?" Penny parroted.

"Yes."

Leonard suddenly sprung into action, grabbing his car keys. "That reminds me – Howard and Bernadette are bringing Raj on their way over and I said I'd go get the Chinese food, so I'd better go pick it up – everyone should be here in the next fifteen minutes or so."

He zoomed out the door, leaving Penny and Sheldon sitting side by side on the couch. Looking over at his slightly blushed face, Penny grinned. "So… are you gonna do it?"

Sheldon stared at her blankly. "Do what?"

"Have sex." Penny replied, anxious to hear his response.

He averted his eyes back down to his lap and fiddled with the controller. "I think so…"

The answer surprised her and she gasped. "Really?"

"Yes," he responded quietly, finally meeting her eye, "if the right moment comes along… again…"

"Wow, look at you, all grown up!" She cooed, punching him lightly in the arm. He rubbed it and glared at her, shaking his head. "Okay, okay – sorry."

A moment passed before Sheldon opened his mouth to speak again. He hesitated, and then dived in for the question. "Penny… you have plenty of experience in this area… might I ask for your advice?"

"Sure…" She said uncertainly, shifting to make herself comfortable.

He exhaled loudly and shuffled. "I'm concerned that I won't really know… what to do. That I'll panic."

Rather than find his tiny admission humorous, Penny felt her heart melt at his insecurity. "Naw, sweetie, you don't need to worry about that – instinct will take over and you'll be fine…"

Her words didn't seem to comfort him and he bit his lip nervously. She grasped for another answer, desperate to assist him. "Look, Sheldon… sex isn't a one man show. Amy will help you, you'll be doing it together… as a team…"

He glanced up from his clenched fists and nodded, understanding. "Yeah…"

Before he could say another word, the front door swung open and in wandered Howard and Raj, followed closely by Bernadette. "Good evening!" Howard said brightly, throwing himself into the armchair. "Mind if I borrow your TV, there's a new episode of America's Next Top Model on and Raj and I want to watch…"

Bernadette narrowed her eyes at him and shook his head, then beamed at Penny and Sheldon, taking a seat next to them. "Hey!"

"Hey, Bernadette," Penny responded, turning away from Sheldon to chat with her. He sat for a moment, still, considering Penny's advice. They would be doing it _together_…

Leonard swept back through the door moments later, hands pull of boxes and containers, and the group began to organize their food. Glancing at his watch, Sheldon began to feel nervous; were Amy and her mother still coming?

As if on cue, the door opened once again and a tired looking Amy ambled in, followed closely by Mrs. Fowler. He felt a pang of irritation set in as he looked at her, and hurriedly looked back down to his food.

Amy glanced around the room, giving a small smile to her friends. "Everyone, this is my mother. She's staying with me until tomorrow, and wanted to meet you all. Mother, this is Bernadette, her husband Howard, Rajesh, Leonard, my bestie Penny and you already know Sheldon."

Mrs. Fowler gave a small wave. "Hello."

Amy looked across at Howard and jerked her head, indicating for him to give her mother his spot. Grinning charmingly, he scurried out of the seat and sat on the floor in front of Raj's legs.

"Thank you," Mrs. Fowler took said, taking the seat. Amy passed her a box of food, and she eyed it gingerly. "A napkin, please Amy?"

Gritting her teeth once again, Amy tossed a napkin in her direction and flopped back down beside Sheldon, who gave her a tiny suppressed smirk. _He _understood the difficulties she was facing with her mother.

An awkward moment of silence passed before Mrs. Fowler spoke. "So, Penny, Amy tells me that the two of you are best friends, and that you have really helped her come out of her shell."

Penny swallowed her mouthful and cleared her throat. "Oh, yes, the best of friends…"

"And Bernadette, you're also a close friend of Amy's? She was the Maid of Honor at your wedding…" Mrs. Fowler said, turning her attention to Bernadette.

"Yes, the three of us are quite close…" Bernadette added, feeling mighty uncomfortable. "Amy did a wonderful job at our wedding; she was such a lovely bridesmaid –"

Mrs. Fowler cut in rudely, looking from Howard to Bernadette. "And how long have you and Howard been married now?"

"Three months," Howard replied quietly, smiling brightly at his wife.

"Lovely." Mrs. Fowler said dismissively. "And Leonard, I understand that you work alongside Sheldon quite closely, and are currently dating Penny, is that correct?"

Leonard nodded, swinging his chair gently from side to side. "Yes…"

"Is there anything I should know about Sheldon?" She joked with a smile, her comment lined with seriousness.

Grinning, Leonard tilted his head from one side to the other. "Oh, there are plenty of things you should know about Sheldon…"

Across from him, Sheldon raised his eyebrows at his best friend and opened his mouth to defend himself, but stopped when he felt fingers on his knee. His head snapped around to Amy, who shook her head. He was becoming skilled at these silent exchanges.

Mrs. Fowler had turned her attention to Raj, who was sitting beside her in a computer chair. "And you, Rajesh? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Raj, who had been busily minding his own business, groped for his beer and took a large swig. He gave her a sheepish smile, a soft smile. "No, unfortunately not."

Mrs. Fowler seemed more intrigued by Raj, and frowned. "Oh, and why is that?"

He shrugged. "Just haven't found the right one."

"And I hear you also work alongside Sheldon, what is it you do?"

Raj continued to chat to Mrs. Fowler, and Penny leant across to tap Amy's leg. "You and me, kitchen, now."

Feeling as though she was in major trouble, Amy leapt out of her seat and followed Penny over. Reaching for a glass for the cupboard above her head, Penny poured herself a glass and water and leant her hip against the bench. "_Sheldon_ just told me that the two of you almost had sex last night! Why didn't you tell me?" She scolded, whispering.

Overtly conscious that her mother was only meters away, Amy pursed her lips and widened her eyes at Penny. "Yes, we _almost_ did. And then _she _arrived, and all I've been doing is entertaining her since she got here!"

Bernadette had slipped over to join them, frowning. "What's going on?" She asked quietly.

"Sheldon and Amy almost had sex last night but they were busted by her mother!" Penny blurted.

Bernadette looked at Amy, stunned. "No?"

"Well… that's not _exactly_ what happened…"

"What happened?" Bernadette pressed, glancing across at Sheldon.

Amy anxiously eyed her mother, who was still in an in-depth conversation with Raj. "We were watching Star Trek, or Star Wars, or something, and then I seduced him like Penny taught me, and suddenly we were… you know…"

Penny giggled. "Oh, my God – _Amy!_"

"And then your mother showed up?" Bernadette clarified.

"Yes, unfortunately. And now look at her…" Amy drew her eyes across to her mother, who seemed to be lecturing Raj on how to improve his likelihood of attracting a mate. Her eyes then fell to Sheldon, who was staring at the three girls intently. "Come on, we'd better get back…"

Resuming her spot beside her boyfriend, she listening somewhat half-heartedly to her mother's jabbering. "-Ah yes, Rajesh, I do tend to agree with your parents; getting married is a very important part to a relationship, and they do know what's best for you…"

Raj frowned a little and looked over at Amy, unsure of how to respond. "Yes… they certainly do…"

She nodded shrewdly and snapped her head across to Sheldon. "May I ask, Sheldon, do you intend on marrying my daughter?"

Sheldon coughed and choked on his mouthful of rice. "_Excuse me?_"

"Mother, can you just stay out of it –" Amy snapped, jumping in to save Sheldon.

"No, I will not stay out of it. If the two of you intend to continue your dalliances I expect a marriage. Amy, when we made that deal that you would date once a year it was with the intention to find a suitable mate and to provide me with grandchildren – I will not have the two of you gallivanting around with no intention of –"

"Oh, will you stop!" Amy burst, unable to control herself further. "Sheldon and I have not had sex. Not once during the whole time we have been together. And _you _have absolutely _no _say on whether or not we are to be married!"

The entire group had gone silent, shocked by the sudden outburst. Sheldon looked across at Mrs. Fowler who sat, stunned, staring at her daughter. His heart was racing and he felt dizzy, thrown every singe sensitive issue he could imagine.

Mrs. Fowler narrowed her eyes, straightening her back. "Why couldn't you have settled for a lovely young man like Rajesh – he seems respectful, intelligent, humble…"

Raj took another swig of his beer and grinned arrogantly at Amy, giving her a playful wink. Sheldon felt his blood begin to boil, but Amy beat him to it. She stood up and snatched her mother's bag off the floor, tossing it to her. "Let's go."

Mrs. Fowler scrambled up out of the armchair and followed her daughter to the door, unimpressed. "Oh, Amy, come now – it's rude to leave –"

Amy swung open the front door and held it. "Yeah, well, we're leaving. Now."

Mrs. Fowler turned back to the group and gave a tiny wave. "Lovely to have met you all."

There was a muffled chorus of farewells as she exited, and as Amy pulled the door closed behind her she mouthed an exasperated 'I'm sorry'.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Sheldon found himself sitting at his kitchen counter, shoveling cereal into his mouth and staring at his phone. Since her departure the evening before, Amy had been in very little contact with Sheldon, only telling him that her mother had returned home to Glendale in a huff, and that she was glad she was gone. Truth be told, he was too.<p>

Looking down at the blackened screen of his phone, he sighed. Still nothing. Leonard had left early, heading away for a romantic weekend with Penny, leaving him to fend for himself. Given that it was a Saturday and he did not have to attend work, he had politely invited Amy over to spend the day together. The prospect of a day, all alone together, made him nervous.

His phone rang loudly beside him, and he smiled when he saw Amy's name flash across the screen. "Good morning, Amy."

"Morning Sheldon!" She replied brightly, and he could hear the faint bustle of traffic in the background.

"Where are you?" He asked, tucking the phone between his shoulder and his cheek, balancing it as he rinsed his bowl.

"On my way over." She responded, quite obviously focusing on driving. "Should be there soon."

Sheldon glanced down at his attire; clad in his red plaid pajamas and matching robe. He would need to get ready, fast. "Alright," he said, "oh that reminds me! Amy, could you take me to the new train store that opened in Burbank?"

There was a pause. "Fine, I'll pick you up and we'll head straight over."

The phone line went dead and Sheldon rushed to get ready, showering and throwing on his clothes. No sooner had he slipped his jacket over his shoulders was Amy knocking at his door.

Grabbing his keys from the bowl, he swung the door open and joined her in the doorway. "Hello!"

She smiled back at him, and he felt his stomach do a somersault. "Hello."

This day was going to be hard, he would need as many distractions as he could get. Already he was finding his eyes sweeping over her black skirt and lavender cardigan and across her hair which was now well past her bust. She tilted her head slightly, watching his eyes. "Come on, we'd better get going."

He nodded and followed her down the stairs. As they clambered into her car, he passed her a piece of paper with the address. "You know, Sheldon, your fascination with model trains is quite childish, does that not bother you at all?"

Clicking his seat belt in place, he looked at her incredulously. "Excuse me, not just _model _trains… regular passenger trains, freight trains, atmospheric rails, monorails, Maglevs – oh, which are very interesting; 'Maglev' is derived from 'magnetic levitation' and does precisely that – the system suspends and propels the vehicle using magnets in place of traditional mechanical methods. By creating both lift and thrust, the Maglev…"

Sheldon's voice drifted into the background as Amy drove, her mind straying from the boring topic that was trains. She was contemplating their afternoon together, recalling that Penny had mentioned Leonard had arranged a trip away for the two of them that weekend, meaning that the apartment would be free. Perhaps there would be the possibility of a sleepover…

"Oh, and then there are funicular cable railways, which are just intriguing…"

She had caught Sheldon's eyes trailing over her figure that morning, as she occasionally did now. There had been no mention of their encounter nights earlier, and it seemed that Sheldon was doing everything within his power to avoid it.

"Funicular rail is designed to move the cars up and down a steep slope, and operates via counterbalancing the ascending and descending vehicles…"

After almost fifteen minutes of driving, and Sheldon chatting about trains non-stop, Amy pulled up outside the new train store. A large grin spread over his face and he scrambled out of the car and then turned impatiently to Amy, who was bringing up the rear. "Come on!"

Following him instead the tiny, red painted building, she stuck close to his side as he marveled over the neatly packaged model trains and books and displays. Picking up a book, he flicked through the pages gently, pointing his finger a modern photograph of a monorail. "See, Amy – a monorail. How interesting…"

She smiled at his excitement, clasping her hands together in front of her. The store owner was eying Sheldon warily, so she gave him a tiny nod, and he relaxed. "See anything you like, Sheldon?" She asked, peering over his shoulder.

"Yes," he mused, looking around the room, which he had now done three circuits of, "this might just be my new favourite model train store. Although I cannot come to that conclusion without correlating my evidence against the notes on my current favourite, which I will have to do once we arrive home…"

His comments made her smile again, and finally he decided to purchase the fat book he had been admiring. "I can teach you all about trains!" He said brightly as they hopped back into her car.

She gave him a strained grin. "Sure…"

They were halfway along the freeway when Sheldon made an announcement. "I feel like Ranger Cookies."

His abrupt comment made Amy laugh. "Okay… well, I'm not driving all the way to Texas to buy you some…"

Rolling his eyes, he huffed. "No, Amy, clearly we are not going to drive all the way to Texas. My mother used to make them for me…"

"Oh," Amy said, considering his comment and her baking skills, "I suppose I could try…"

He gave her a skeptical look. "You can cook?"

"Don't look so surprised," she replied, smirking at him.

"Huh," he remarked, and then started searching on his phone for a recipe, "I think we have all of the ingredients at the apartment… oh this will be fun!"

Staring ahead, Amy shook her head. "Fun for someone…"

* * *

><p>The kitchen was a mess.<p>

Amy struggled for breath as she laughed, tipping the entire cup full of flour into the bowl. It plonked into the bottom with a puff, and she coughed a little, still chuckling.

Sheldon shook his head and glared at her, a tiny smile playing on his lips. "Amy! That was not a flat cup, the recipe specifically states to use a _flat_ –"

She reached across and grabbed an egg, expertly cracking it on the edge and letting it dribble into the bowl. "Sheldon, would you stop! I know what I'm doing –"

From across the island bench where he was perched, Sheldon snatched the second egg and handed it to her carefully. "It most certainly doesn't look like it – hey!"

Cracking the second egg, she tossed him the broken shell and he dodged it, yelping. "Do you mind?" He whined, a hint of a laugh in his voice.

She laughed and bumped over the packet of flour, spilling it all over herself and the floor. Sheldon gave her a scornful and watched as brushed the flour off her cardigan, beginning to laugh. "Amy!"

Beaming back at him, she grasped the hem of her cardigan and tugged it over her head, throwing it to him. Chuckling, he caught it and flicked it aside. She grinned cheekily and drew her fingers through the flour coating the bench, and swiftly smeared it across his t-shirt.

At first he looked as though he were going to throttle her, but then a smirk cracked across his face and he leapt off the chair, chasing her around the island. In the next breath, he had her pinned against the counter, laughing and panting.

Amy looked up at him, giggling herself. She had never heard him laugh like he was laughing, and stopped to watch, awestruck. His long fingers encircled her wrist and his body weight leant against her firmly. Drawing in a sharp breath, she felt tingles shoot down her spine and the atmosphere changed. The tension rose.

His laughter settled and looked down at her; chest heaving in her sheer white top and eyes looking at him curiously. It felt like time had come to a halt; her proximity suddenly _so_ evident. One side of him begged, screamed for him to run, whilst the other controlled his hand, raising it to wipe away a speck of flour from her cheek.

He lingered his thumb just below the frame of her glasses and found himself staring at her lips, inches from his own. Every inch of self-control he had maintained, every conversation he had planned to avoid such a circumstance, went flying out the window as she gently pushed her hips against him. Tentatively, softly, he trailed his fingers from her cheek, down along her neck and into the crevice of her collarbone, watching as shivered beneath his touch. Her breathing quickened and she looked up from his fingers, staring into his eyes with the most primitive look he'd ever seen.

_This is it._

It wasn't clear who moved first, but suddenly their lips were connected in a kiss that was more passionate, more desperate, than any they had shared before. Sheldon felt his walls fall and raised his free hand to tilt her chin closer, deepening the kiss, to which she completely relented. Impulsively, he ground his hips against hers and she gasped, feeling a pressure against her thigh. He groaned in protest as she broke the kiss, coyly running her hand along the outside of his taut pants and meeting his eyes.

Staring back at her, heart racing and hormones screaming, he kissed her again and boldly pulled at the base of her top, which she immediately slung over her head. There was no crimson lace this time, only plain black, just like he had seen once before. His control completely waning, he pushed her hard up against the counter, and jumped as she grabbed either side of the bench top and slid herself up to sit on it, legs around his waist.

With that small maneuver, he found himself face to face with her cleavage, and drew in another sharp breath, meeting her eyes. Biting her lip, she gave him a tiny nod and he nervously pecked the skin below her collarbone, feeling the warmth beneath his lips. Gently, Amy placed a finger along his jawline and coaxed him further down, until his lips met the soft skin of her breast. The panic began to stir, but he forced it back down; the feeling of Amy's hand guiding him reassuring. He placed another kiss against her spongy bust, along the very edge of her bra, and heard her gasp, rolling her head to the side. _Dear Lord…_

Suddenly the reality of the moment hit him, and he had an uncontrollable urge to get her off the counter top, thoughts of germs and bacteria abruptly rampant in his mind. Perhaps it was timely. He pulled her down carefully and she looked at him curiously. "What…?"

"Unhygienic." He replied shortly. For a moment, he stood still anxiously, torn as to whether to take her to his bedroom. _That _side of him was howling; pleading him to take her and ravage her. Amy captured his gaze and searched, for his approval, for security. It was there.

Taking his hand, she hastily dragged him toward his room, but stopped out the front. This was _his_ space. It was up to him, now. Stepping past her, he looked back over his shoulder at her frozen form, and – taking a deep breath – tugged her inside.

The instant he had slammed the door shut, Amy tapped him back onto the bed, where he landed, resting on his elbows. She leant over and kissed him again, and he trailed a hand up her spine and found the clasp of her bra. Pulling away, she stood in front of him, heart pounding with nerves, and unzipped her skirt, pushing it down over her hips. He stared intently, as she stood in nothing but her lingerie, and gulped as she crawled over him. Picking up his hand, she guided it back to the clasp, challenging him to undo it. He fiddled for a few moments, and finally it came loose, and she shrugged it off her shoulders.

She was perfect. Not like the many ridiculous models Howard had shoved under his nose, not like the fake wannabes from the streets of Hollywood, just _perfect_. Once again, he couldn't tear his eyes away, and his breathing quickened as he cupped her soft skin and squeezed gently. She moaned softly and leant down to his ear, whispering: "Your turn."

He swallowed hard and instantly obliged, sitting up to peel away his top layers of clothing. It was her turn to stare now, as he laid back in nothing but his briefs. The amount of muscle beneath his shirt was astounding; never would she have guessed all _that_ was under those layers. Straddling his hips, skin to skin, she ran her hand across his chest, marveling the dips and planes of his body. He watched her closely, uncertainty and excitement mixed in his expression.

As she had only nights earlier, she slipped her hand slowly beneath the waistband of his underwear, and watched in complete wonder as he gasped expectantly. She gently trailed over his length, once again apprehensive about his size, and within two strokes she was flipped onto her back.

Sheldon hovered above her, and caught her lips again for a powerful kiss. Drawing her legs up around his waist, she shuddered as his hand wandered uneasily to her panties, finding a home at the top of her pubic bone. After a moment of hesitation, his fingers dipped beneath the fabric, skimming over her gently, expertly. She moaned and arched her back. "Sheldon…"

At the sound of his name on her lips, so sensual and raw, he drew his hand away and looked her straight in the eye. His heart thumped in his chest and panic threatened to take him over, to run away and never look back. But this was it, and he wanted it, his body wanted it. Her eyes gazed up at him and she bit her lip, watching the endless array of emotions pass over his face. "Sheldon, it's okay…"

"No," he replied hoarsely, and then took a deep breath, gaining some extra courage, "I want this. I want _you._"

Before he could think about it any further, he hooked the edge of her black panties under his fingers and pulled them over her hips. Amy looked back at him, breathing heavily, as he reached for his own, pulling them down. Once they were gone, she could hardly look away, marveling at him in all of his glory. Suddenly she felt a pang of fright, unsure about the pain and attempting to mathematically equate whether this would be logistically successful…

Sheldon spotted the look cross her face and shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you…"

She shook her head, breathing deep. "I'll be okay…"

He nodded and positioned his hardness between her legs, gently pushing forward and gasping as he entered her. The pleasure was searing, blinding, and he found himself huddling her to his chest, protecting her. Carefully, so gently, he thrust his hips forward and heard her breathing hitch. That was it, she was his.

Beneath him, Amy squeezed her eyes shut tightly, attempting to dismiss the intense burning sensation. She was overwhelmed with a complex mixture of pleasure and pain, and shifted her hips below him. The sudden movement caused Sheldon to moan, struggling to maintain control. She looked up at him, discovering one of the most erotic expressions she'd ever come across. It was electric.

Devilishly, she moved her hips again, encouraging him to continue. Slowly, he thrust his hips forward, feeling the world come crashing down around him. The warmth of her, the tightness, it felt so _right_. He repeated the motion, faster this time, and the action emitted a cry from Amy. "Sheldon…"

Far more confidently, he reached down to squeeze her breast and teased the very peak of her nipple, causing her to arch her back. She tightened her legs around his waist, tugging him closer, deeper. Instinctively, he ground his hips against her own, feeling his own tension building closer and closer.

The pleasure was near unbearable, with each stroke he plunged deeper inside her, feeling his release near. She was grasping for him now, whimpering his name, and he was so eager to make her feel everything she deserved to feel. Bending his neck to her, he kissed her hard and moaned her name lightly, so close. "Please…" She said quietly, and that was it.

He cried her name again and reached his climax, feeling the universe collapse in on itself. Everything changed, everything seemed sharper, clearer. Nothing had ever felt so _good._ She clung to him, writhing as she came with him, gasping for air. "Amy…"

Collapsing at her side, breathless and hot, Sheldon watched in awe as Amy lay, completely nude, beside him. She was panting, and her cheeks were flushed red, and she looked across at him, beaming. Before she could say a word, he knew what he had to do.

Scooping her up, he carried her swiftly to the bathroom, ignoring her squeals of protest. He flicked the shower on quickly and allowed the steam to fill the room, and then they stepped under the stream together. Lathering the soap between his hands, he ran it across her skin, cleaning her, caring for her. He would look after her, like no one ever had.

Pulling her close, he kissed her forehead. "I love you."


	25. Chapter 25

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I have been completely and utterly overwhelmed by the fantastic reviews I have received for my previous chapter – thank you. It was definitely a hard one to write, to get right, and the feedback I have received has been nothing short of wonderful. Truth be told, I am not in this for the reviews – I love to read them, but ultimately I will never leave a story unfinished and the person I wish to please the most is myself. Having said this, there are events/issues within this story which are somewhat adult, and I recognise that for some people this can be difficult to read – I, for one, support a Shamy that are an adult couple, dealing with adult issues, growing up together. Should you have a problem with reading fiction of this nature, please do not continue on into this chapter. Anyway! Please read, review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 25**

Sheldon stirred lightly, feeling a gentle warmth tingling along his bare spine, the fluffy covers pushed down about his hips. He drew in a deep, long breath and shifted, cursing himself for leaving the curtains open slightly. The harsh daylight scorned him, casting a red glow behind his eyes, pestering him to awaken. He had never slept so solidly in his life. Groaning, he pulled a hand away from the soft, warm skin of the naked woman beside him –

_Naked woman?_

_Beside him?_

His eyes flew open and he jerked his hand away, panic taking a hold of him. Her brown hair splayed out across the pillow next to him, and he trailed his eyes down her back, lit up by the persistent sun. The blue sheets gathered around her hip, and he felt his stomach drop as his gaze moved across the arch of her thigh, plummeting into the dip of her waist and up again along her ribs. A complex mix of emotions rushed over him - happiness, fear, contentment, anxiety – all ran rampant, and suddenly he was shaken by the memory of the night prior.

Her touch, her scent, her moans, her breasts, her legs, her… everything. He knew her, now, like no one else. At the recollection of the night, his heart began to race and his body instantly yielded, tensed, rejoicing at the memory. The incredible, indescribable pleasure he had felt, the supreme feeling of relaxation, of release, relief, left him feeling light-headed and oddly excited. He had touched her _everywhere, _and suddenly he found himself staring at his hands, as if they were covered in the blood of an innocent victim. As though he were a criminal.

Panic battled within in him as he stared at the ceiling, fighting for control. There was a part of him - a strong part - that felt unusually, unsettlingly at peace; a pure, white happiness he'd never felt before. But his habitual fear shook him, tore at him, echoing that he had been weak, that he had made a mistake. Breathing shakily, he held a hand over his eyes. _What have I done? _

He tilted his head across to her sleeping form, eyes passing over framed images of his favourite superheroes, staring back at him, judging him. Blinking rapidly, he could have sworn that The Flash frowned at him, shaking his head. Tearing his eyes away from the print, he gazed at Amy's body, the curve of her waist and her exposed neck catching his eye. Again, his emotions fought for control, and he gulped as he reached out a finger to stroke over the outline of her spine.

Sighing lightly, she stirred, and Sheldon jumped as she rolled gracefully onto her back, her arm draped lazily above her head, naked torso completely exposed. Snuggling into the pillow beneath her head, she sighed and continued sleeping, and he breathed at the sudden wonderful view he was getting of her breasts – full, perky, perfect. He felt heat sweep over his body and the all-too-familiar tension began to grow between his legs, and he groaned quietly.

Despite the nauseating anxiety that was tugging at him, he took a deep breath and drew his fingers lightly around the soft skin of her breast, tracing over the rough peak of her nipple. That odd sense of contentment and excitement passed over him yet again, and he felt as though he barely knew himself. Amy shuffled in her sleep, moaning quietly, and – heart pounding in his chest – he trailed his eyes down across her flat stomach and toward the dip of her -

Tossing the blankets back, he raced to the bathroom, upending the lid of the toilet seat in preparation to vomit. The sight of her naked body, the body he had marveled, touched, washed, loved, brought back every minute detail of their dalliance. He _had _engaged in sexual intercourse with his girlfriend. With Amy Farrah Fowler. For the very first time.

Staring into the bowl of the toilet, he shook his head and craned his neck up. He wasn't going to be sick; the stomach-churning sensation he was experiencing obviously accounted to anxiety; to complete and utter shock. For years, so many years, he had sworn that he would never involve himself sexually with a woman, never give up his love for science like that, never fall victim to the distraction of a lover. And yet – as he sat, gazing at the tiles – he didn't feel distracted, instead he felt like his entire universe had shifted, and everything looked a little clearer.

Shaking his head, a voice chimed in to tell him it was wrong – he had violated everything he so desperately feared, had touched another human being so intimately; another potentially contaminated human being. The thoughts sent his mind into meltdown, and he stood to splash cool water across his face. Glancing up, he spotted himself in the mirror – hair messy, morning stubble dotting his jawline and uncertain blue eyes staring back at him. But there was something more behind his eyes, something he couldn't identify with, something _good._

Quietly, he made his way back to his room and grasped for some clothes for the day. Confused and slightly panicked, he tugged on the clothing and made his way out of the apartment, desperate to take some time to himself to think.

* * *

><p>Yawning widely, Amy stretched out her arms above her head and rolled onto her side, huddling into the warm sheets with ease. The bed was soft and inviting, and the birds chirping outside her window were not making a sleep-in a simple task. Nuzzling further into the pillow, she inhaled deeply, noticing a scent that was so familiar, so wonderful to her. <em>Sheldon…<em>

"Sheldon?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes and opening them gradually. Looking around, she found herself face to face with a tall bookshelf full of comics and brightly coloured books, and felt her breathing hitch, heart racing. Everything came back to her in a rush, and she felt like she had been knocked flat. They had been in the kitchen… cooking… and then it had happened. So fast, so perfect… he had taken her and made her his, completely.

Sitting up slightly, she bunched the sheets up around her naked bust and brought a hand to her lips, smiling. _Sheldon Cooper _had had sex with her, had taken her virginity… moaning, touching, thrusting… and it had been the most incredible experience of her entire existence. She found herself giggling lightly, giddily, at the memory, tracing a hand over her shoulder where he had washed her, cared for her.

Every moment, every breath, of their encounter was vivid in her mind, and she suddenly felt so… beautiful, so wanted. Never had she imagined that her first time would be so right, and she wondered if Sheldon felt the same. She chuckled; thinking back on the events, she was positive he did. Casting her eyes around the room, she couldn't help but grin at the space they had disgraced – Star Wars sheets, action figures, comic books… Sheldon's room resembled that of a child's, rather than an adult's. Where was he, anyway?

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she winced slightly in pain and closed her eyes. Penny had warned her, had told her that sometimes pain was to be expected - depending on the male - and in this case, she had known instantly what she was in for. It had been worth it. She swallowed and continued to stand, certain that it would fade soon. Grasping for her clothes from the day before, she pulled them on and headed out into the living area, searching for him.

Walking down the hallway and into the kitchen, she cast her eyes around and frowned. He wasn't there. There was still flour and egg shells and mess all about the kitchen counter, yet no note, nothing. Feeling anxiety stir in her stomach, she rushed down the hall, checking the bathroom and sticking her head into Leonard's room. Still nothing. Walking out into the lounge, she took a seat in his spot, feeling the very tip of dread begin to set in. Had he really just up and left her? Had he suddenly panicked, realizing that it was all a mistake? Had she done something wrong?

Taking a slow, deep breath, she sank back into the couch, fighting back the burning in her throat. Perhaps she was overreacting… perhaps he had gone out to get them some breakfast and had forgotten to leave her a note. Reaching for her phone from the coffee table, she typed a quick text message.

_Good morning… where are you?_

Placing the phone back down, she sighed and looked over the mess they had made yesterday, smiling at the recollection him pinning her to the counter, kissing her… She shook her head and stood, heading over to clean up. Scooping the wasted flour off the edge of the bench top and into her hand, she dumped it into the sink and stared, feeling apprehensive. This wouldn't be it, would it? He hadn't just gone ahead, had his one time with her and now everything would be back to the way it was before?

Taking another deep breath, she pressed on with the dishes, hoping desperately that she would hear from him soon.

* * *

><p>Miles away, in a petite coffee shop in Los Angeles, Leonard stared across at his glowing blonde girlfriend, sipping away at her latte. The mid-morning sun hit the side of her face, reflecting off her flawless skin and dazzling him as always. They had spent the night in an extravagant hotel room in the heart of the city, taking a long walk along Hollywood boulevard and dining at a fancy restaurant. It had been a long while since the two had spent quality alone time together, and had been exactly what they needed.<p>

Penny peeked over her coffee mug at him, smirking coyly. "What are you smiling at?"

He grinned at her sheepishly, unhooking his finger from the handle of his cup. "Oh nothing… you're just stunning, that's all."

She gave him a look and shook her head. "Naw, thank you!"

"You're welcome!" He chirped, almost bouncing in his seat. Their relationship was the most solid, most stable, that it had ever been in a long time, and he found himself marveling at the past few months. Since she had admitted her love for him, a tension had been completely released, and everything was travelling on smoothly.

"So," Penny began, setting down her cup and lacing her dainty fingers in front of her, "what time did you want to head back home?"

Leonard snapped out of his daydream, suddenly burdened with the reminder that he did have to go back home, to his apartment, to deal with Sheldon. His heart sank a little. "I suppose once we've finished up here we should probably head back…"

She nodded and turned her gaze out the window, watching the traffic fly by. He watched her eyes intently, taking a deep breath – there was something he needed to discuss with her. "Penny?"

"Yeah?" She responded softly, eyes locking back with his own.

"I've been thinking…" He started, straightening the menu beside him nervously. "There's no real reason why I should continue to live with Sheldon… and your place has the space for the two of us… so I've been wondering if maybe…"

He trailed off, knowing that his entire sentence had come out exactly how he had intended it not to. Casting his eyes up to hers, he was surprised to find that she was smiling at him. "If maybe we could live together?"

"Yeah…" He stammered, drawing his shoulders up anxiously.

She sat back a little in the wooden chair, reaching down to fiddle with her scarf, tracing her hands across the vibrant colours. The colours of autumn. A moment passed before she replied. "I've been thinking about it too…"

"You have?" He interjected, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," she said, chuckling lightly, "and I would love that."

Leonard breathed a huge sigh of relief, and grasped for her hand across the table. "Oh, Penny, that's so great –"

"But…" She cut in, her face suddenly serious.

"But…" He parroted, feeling his stomach sink.

She sighed lightly, tilting her head in concern. "What about Sheldon? We can't just leave him in that apartment, all by himself… it will destroy him if you move out. And imagine the stress it would cause him to find another roommate…"

Leonard waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, no, we don't need to worry about Sheldon – besides, we'll be just across the hall –"

"Leonard…" She said sternly, leveling with him.

"Fine." He huffed. "I've actually thought about that, too… there may be one way around it."

Penny searched his eyes for a moment and then smiled. "Amy?"

"Yep."

Smiling widely, she leant forward. "It's perfect. Now all we need to do is convince Sheldon to let Amy move in with him…"

Leonard nodded. "Well… we may not even need to convince him… if we slowly phase me out and Amy in we might just have ourselves a deal…"

* * *

><p>The office was draughty and dark, and Sheldon sat, still as a statue, in his desk chair. He stared intently at his board, slowly, carefully reconstructing the equation in his mind. This particular equation had eluded him for weeks, months, and he had purposefully avoided it at all costs, aware that the answer just would not come to him. Although, that Sunday morning, he had headed down to Caltech, let himself in and the instant his eyes crossed the board everything seemed different. The numbers almost danced across the white surface, and his mind was throwing him option upon option to come to the conclusion he desired. It was brilliant.<p>

So, there he was, leaning back into his large desk chair, staring intently. He had been there for hours, and had not even switched on a light; completely entranced by his workings. It had been his original intention to come to his workplace to think, to mull over the past twenty-four hours, and yet that seemed to have been put on the back burner. Amy's sleeping form still lingered in his mind, scorned into his memory forever, yet his focus was wholly on the white board in front of him.

Taking a moment, he breathed calmly and looked out the window. The day was clear and sunny, and lit up the campus beautifully. After everything that had happened, everything that he had made happen, he was astounded by the bizarre wave of serenity that took over his body. He shifted his gaze back to his work, tilting his head. Absently, he picked up a marker off the mahogany desk and floated across to the board.

Carefully, he made a change, scrubbing out one symbol with the palm of his hand and replacing it with another. The result amazed him. One simple improvement, that was all it took. He felt an overwhelming burst of emotion as he stared at the equation, now solved, and dropped the marker to the floor. A lump rose to his throat and he leant against the edge of his desk, squeezing his fingers to his eyes, as tears threatened to fall.

Was this what control _really _felt like?

* * *

><p>"Sheldon! I'm back!" Leonard called as he swung open the door, tossing his keys into the bowl haphazardly. "I'm just dropping in to get some fresh clothes and then I'm heading back to Penny's, hope that's okay – Amy?"<p>

His gaze fell upon the brunette neurobiologist, huddled into Sheldon's spot on the couch. She had a blanket tucked up around her legs and looked positively awful. Looking back at him, she gave him a tiny, sad smile and bit her lip. Dread ran cold through his veins and he rushed to kneel in front of her. "Amy, what's wrong?"

She stared back at him, tossing the blanket back and swinging her legs out in front of her. "I'm sorry, I know I should have gone home by now – I'll just get my things –"

Leonard placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. "No, no, it's fine – what's going on? Is Sheldon okay?"

"I don't know…" She said quietly. "I guess so… I don't…"

He was very concerned now, and sought her eyes. "Amy – what happened?"

She finally met his gaze, eyes glassy. "Sheldon and I… we…" The pressure, the stress, it was too much, and she burst into tears.

Instantly, Leonard wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed, hushing her softly. "Penny!" He called, hoping that she would hear him across the hallway. Amy continued to cry, and he whispered quietly to her. "It's okay…"

Penny rushed through the door, eyes immediately falling to Leonard, who was still embracing Amy. "Oh my God, Amy!" Racing to her side, she gathered Amy from Leonard's arms and held her to her side, patting her hair. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I came over and she was sitting here and when I asked her what was wrong she started crying and said that she and Sheldon had done something and –" Leonard blurted, completely uncertain of what to do. Penny gave him a look and he quietened.

Amy peered up from Penny's side, wiping her eyes and pushing the hair away from her face. "I'm okay… I'm sorry…"

"Sweetie," Penny repeated, "what happened?"

She took a deep breath and looked from Penny to Leonard and back again. "Sheldon and I… last night… we…"

Penny looked at her and knew instantly. "Oh my God you had _sex?_"

Leonard was gaping at her, completely shocked. "No…"

Amy nodded softly, giving them both a sheepish smile. "Yeah…"

Beside her, Penny was grinning and giggling giddily. "Oh my God! Tell me everything – how was it? Was he bi-"

"Um, okay – firstly," Leonard cut in, standing up, "I don't want to know those details… and secondly, Penny – can't you see something's wrong? Where is Sheldon?"

"He left." Amy said flatly, sniffling. "I woke up this morning and he was gone."

Penny's mouth dropped open. "That _ass_! Who the hell does he think he is, just leaving you here by yourself –"

"Have you tried calling him?" Leonard interrupted, ignoring his girlfriend and addressing Amy.

"Yes, he won't answer…" Amy replied, and then turned to Penny. "Penny, do you think I did something wrong? Why would he just leave?"

Again, Leonard jumped in. "I wouldn't worry – I'm sure Sheldon's just having one of his freak outs…" He thought hard for a moment, contemplating where Sheldon would go. Then it hit him. "I'll find him."

Penny looked up at him from the couch as he grabbed his keys. "Do you want me to come with you…?"

"Nah, it's fine, I'll sort it out." He replied, swinging the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>Forcing his key into the rusted lock, Leonard swung open the door to the hallway of Caltech, and punched in his code by the door. The alarm system beeped at him, and he made his way inside, heading straight for Sheldon's office.<p>

Sure enough, Sheldon was sitting at his desk, head down as he scribbled away in a notepad. The office was dark, as evening began to set in, and Leonard crept in quietly, careful not to startle him. He spoke softly as he approached the large desk. "Hey buddy…"

Sheldon glanced up quickly from his notes and gave Leonard a small smile. Scribbling another few words, he held the paper out in front of him, grinning proudly. "I solved it, Leonard!"

Slightly concerned for his friend's welfare, Leonard smiled back anxiously. "Solved what…?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes at him and stood up, indicating toward his board. "The equation, of course! The same paper I have been working on for months! Don't you see what this means – a Nobel Prize is most certainly within my grasp now…"

Leonard looked over his fellow physicist, unshaven and bright-eyed, and found himself confused. He had expected a nervous wreck, plotting to return to Texas and never see Amy again, not an ecstatic genius who had just solved one of the more pressing issues of the physics world. "Sheldon… are you okay…?"

"Okay?" Sheldon asked, looking at him, puzzled. "Leonard – I've never felt so wonderful in my entire existence."

Something had to be wrong. "Do you remember what happened last night…?"

Sheldon's bright blue eyes pierced his, and then softened as he took a slow breath. "Of course I remember," he replied gently, "how could I forget?"

"And…?" Leonard pressed, bracing for an explosion.

Sheldon tilted his head. "Leonard, I am not going to share with you my sexual encounter with Amy Farrah Fowler… it is none of your business." He smirked, a devilish look in his eye. "This is all her fault."

Leonard nodded, very uncertain. "Okay… well, Amy has been waiting for you at our apartment all day… she thinks you left her."

Frowning, Sheldon shook his head. "All day?" He looked around, noticing the night sky beginning to set in. "I must have lost track of time…"

Eying him carefully, Leonard jingled his keys and jerked his head toward the door. "Come on, let's get you home…"

* * *

><p>Not far away, in Penny's apartment, Amy sat beside her bestie, sipping on a warm drink, letting the time pass by. After Leonard had left in search for Sheldon, Penny had dragged her across to her apartment, instructed her to shower, plonked her down on her aqua couch and handed her a block of chocolate.<p>

Penny pulled her legs up underneath her and leant forward, giving her a smile. "Amy, stop worrying. You know what Sheldon is like… I'm sure he's just run off in panic… he'll come to his senses…"

Amy traced a finger around the edge of her warm cup, staring at the caramel coloured liquid. She was completely torn; one part of her was certain that he had just needed some space; that he would return and everything would be okay, and yet another part of her was convinced this was it; that their relationship would never be the same. After spending the entire day worrying, mulling over their night together, she felt exhausted. "Hopefully…"

Her golden haired best friend gave her a grin and ducked her head to look at her, making Amy smile. "Now – you have _got _to tell me _everything!_"

Amy bit her lip, sighing. Perhaps she could let her worry go for just a moment, and share her experience with Penny. Before she knew it, she felt herself smiling at the memory. "Okay… well… we came back from visiting some train store in Burbank and Sheldon had convinced me to bake cookies for him… so, I got to work and we ended up having a bit of a food fight –"

Penny scrunched her nose, chuckling. "Sheldon? In a food fight?"

"Well, perhaps not a food fight… anyway, he chased me around the entire kitchen and when he caught me…" She trailed off, the recollection of his weight pressed against hers, his blue eyes desperate for more, taking hold of her.

"When he caught you…?" Penny pressed, resting her elbows on her knees.

Amy grinned. "He took me to his bedroom… and undressed me…"

Penny giggled quietly, interrupting her story. "Was he good?" She whispered.

"Yes," Amy whispered back, feeling like a teenager in the childhood she had missed out on, "incredible… I had no idea it would be so… so…"

"Good?" Penny finished, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, sex is pretty powerful stuff. So… did he know what he was doing… was it awkward…?"

Amy shook her head. "It wasn't awkward at all… we were both nervous, sure, but not awkward. And I was surprised… he did seem to know what he was doing – not that I have anything to base it on…"

"I cannot believe I am talking about _Sheldon… _it seems he is a real boy, after all…" Penny gushed, shaking her head. "Okay – I have to ask; is it all… relative?"

Tilting her head, Amy frowned. "What?"

"You know," Penny said, lowering her voice and smirking, "they say it's all relative… and he's a tall guy, so…?"

Catching on, Amy's eyes widened and she nodded slowly. "Oh, right… yes, it is, in his case."

Penny giggled and fell back into the couch, covering her eyes. "Oh, Sheldon!"

"Exactly," Amy said smartly, grinning, "and that can remain _our _secret, bestie."

Still laughing, Penny nodded and looked over at her friend, who was looking considerably cheerier. "Congratulations, Ames." She said with a smile.

"Thank you, I think," Amy said, chuckling. She glanced at her watch, and decided it was time for her to go. Sheldon had still not appeared, and she assumed that on this day, she would not see him again. Standing, she reached for her bag. "I'd better go…"

Penny stood with her, watching her closely. "You gonna be okay?"

Amy gave her a half-hearted smile, her worry rushing back to her. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"I'll let you know the moment he walks through that door, I promise." She paused, glaring at her door and folding her arms. "And I will let _him _know a thing or two as well…"

Penny gave Amy a big hug and she headed out the door and down to her car. The evening was proving to be quite chilly for Pasadena, and she shivered as she slipped into the driver's seat, taking off for her apartment. The day had been so long, and she felt like she had stayed at Sheldon's for days, all alone. As she sped through intersection after intersection, she felt herself start to break, so frightened that he didn't want her any more, didn't need her any more.

Before long, she had her car parked and was traipsing up the final flight of stairs to her apartment, tiredly unlocking her door and slipping into the dark apartment. As she always did, she tossed her handbag onto the chair by the door, and stood in the middle of the room, drained. Squinting in the near pitch-black space, she sighed and made her way across to the kitchen, flicking the light on her way past.

She yelped in surprise as her eyes fell to a tall assailant standing still in the hallway, and she backed into the kitchen counter. Stepping into the minimal light of her tiny kitchen, Sheldon gazed back at her, hair askew and face shadowed with stubble.

Instantly, heat rose within her and she felt like screaming. How could he have done this to her? "Sheldon, where –"

Taking a slow step toward her, he held out a piece of paper at arm's length, face unusually stoic. She shook her head angrily, snatching the paper from his hands and casting her eyes across it. It was his work; his most recent paper that he had been struggling to complete for months, and it seemed it was now complete.

This did not aid her fury, and she flailed it in the air. "What the hell, Sheldon? Is this where you've been all day, figuring out this stupid fucking equation? How could you –"

Swiftly, he closed the gap between them, catching her lips with his. An electric spark passed between them, and Amy felt herself being rendered speechless. Every touch, every moment they had shared came racing back to her, and her anger melted away. The spark began to ignite, and as he drew a hand around her neck to pull her lips closer, she moaned, just as she had the evening prior.

He pulled away, still calm and collected, although thrilled by the energy of their kiss. "Amy," he said softly, "you did this."

Still speechless, she gazed into his blue eyes, more full of life than she'd ever seen. "What?"

"You, Amy…" He repeated, smirking at her. "I woke this morning feeling so confused… so I went to the office to think… but when I got there all I could see was my board, and the equation… and the answer. I've never felt so focused in my life; never felt so in control of everything… and so _happy_…"

Amy stared at him, stunned. She could almost feel the warmth, the joy spreading through her heart, and felt tears spring to her eyes unexpectedly.

"You did this," he whispered, voice brimming with emotion, "and if this is what having intercourse with you is going to do for me, if it's going to _improve_ me, then I don't want to stop."

She hiccupped involuntarily, breath catching in her chest and tears streaming down her face. Words seemed to evade her completely, and she felt her knees go weak as ran his fingers down her neck. Softly, he kissed her again, and then snuck his lips to her ear, and she felt the roughness of his stubble brushing against her cheek. "Besides, I am a scientist, and I am curious to continue experimenting…"

His comment made her chuckle, so flirtatious and cheeky; so unlike him and yet _so _like him, all at once. This was Sheldon, _her_ Sheldon, upgraded. "Sheldon…"

Amy's voice rang in his head, the husky tone of his name on her lips bringing back a surge of raging hormones. He lightly pecked the soft skin of her neck, feeling her shiver and gasp lightly. That was quickly becoming one of the greatest sounds he'd ever heard. "Yes…?"

Pulling back, he looked her straight in the eye, and was instantly taken by the overwhelmed, vulnerable sight that gazed back at him. Feeling that primal side of him take over, he reached out for her low-cut blue top – which looked oddly familiar – and traced the hem. His eyes wandered down to her grey tracksuit pants, hugging her hips tightly. "Are you wearing Penny's clothes?"

Suddenly Amy felt exposed, naked under layers of clothing. All he had to do was picture her – no undressing required. "Yeah… I took a shower while I was over there and borrowed them…"

He nodded, hand still lingering at the v-neck of her top. Gently, he pushed it to the side to reveal a lack of bra strap, and he felt his stomach drop. "Oh, okay…"

Amy let her gaze wander across him, in his tight burgundy pants and undershirt – had he forgotten a t-shirt in his haste? She didn't care. Looking up, their eyes locked, and this time it was her turn to rush at him, kissing him fiercely, snaking her hand across his jaw line and into his hair.

Instantly he succumbed to her, feeling his ego swell and his body tense at the contact. He pushed back against her lips, and lost his breath as she tugged lightly on his belt buckle. Breaking away, he grasped her wrist and whisked her to her bedroom, pushing her back into the purple covers.

She watched him, awestruck, as he tore the undershirt up over his head, tossing it aside, and crawled over her. His blue eyes were near black with lust, and he hovered above her, trailing his hand over her chest. This time felt different; more desperate, freer, and she found herself awkwardly pulling Penny's blue t-shirt over her head. Sheldon's eyes immediately feel to her bust, and he groaned lightly. "Oh _Lord_…"

Before he could attend to anything else, he freed himself from the restricting pair of pants he had been wearing, kicking them away hastily. His head was spinning with exhilaration, his body aching for more. During his small maneuver, Amy took her opportunity to push him onto his back, straddling his hips.

"Vixen," he growled, and she smiled sweetly back, rolling her hips hard against him, "Amy…"

He could hear his heart beating in his ears, and marveled at the Greek Goddess-like woman sitting on top of him. Swallowing hard, he pushed up onto his elbows, kissing the very tip of her breast, evoking a cry from her. This was perfect.

Staring down at him, feeling like she was on fire, she lightly tapped him back flat, cautious to maintain control. Gently, she shuffled her hips, feeling him hard up against her and she flinched at the tiny jolt of pain that stung between her legs. Perhaps she wasn't ready just yet. Perhaps he would have to wait.

Sheldon noticed the change, the sudden pang of discomfort on her face. "Amy, did I hurt you?" He asked softly.

Taking a deep breath, she shrugged slightly and bit her lip, unable to lie. He shook his head and sat up again, regret written all over his face. "I'm so sorry –"

"Stop." She said, anxious to keep their momentum. Pressing a finger to her lips, she hushed him and slowly, nervously began to slide down his hips. Heart thumping in her chest, so frightened she would do it all wrong, she took a deep breath and met her eyes with his from between his legs, seeking permission.

He stared at her, brown hair askew and curiosity painted across her face, and felt his chest start to heave in panic. The battle began again, and he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. It was okay. This was okay. Nails dragged gently across his briefs and snapped him out of his thoughts, and he moaned. It seemed his body had made the decision for him, and he didn't mind one bit.

Carefully, skillfully, she touched him, tasted him, in the most intimate of ways, and – yet again – he felt like the world around him was coming crashing down. Gripping the sheets, moaning her name, he knew this should have felt wrong, sinful; but it didn't. It felt _right. _It felt perfect.


	26. Chapter 26

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> My apologies for the delay once again – I think that within a week is going to be my time frame for a lot of these upcoming chapters, unfortunately 'real life' gets in the way! Once again, this chapter is steamy, so please do not read if you are uncomfortable with that. I am so chuffed to be up and beyond three hundred reviews, what an honour! I'm so glad you are all enjoying the journey, it's such a blast to write and I'm certainly excited to continue on with both this and some new ideas I've got floating around in my head. Anyway – enjoy and review!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 26**

The very next morning, Sheldon awoke from a deep, peaceful sleep, in a bed that was not his own with a woman tangled in his arms. Opening his eyes, he cast his gaze down to his brunette girlfriend, who was huddled into the crook of his neck, arm wrapped neatly across his chest. Light poured through the thin venetians and spread across her face in beams, highlighting the dip of her cheek bones, the curve of her eyelashes, the redness of her lips… Her _lips._ His heart fluttered, memories of the night prior flooding back to him in a rush. Never had he truly imagined he would allow another human being to touch him so intimately; the thought previously evoking panic of bacteria and germs. Yet now, hours later, the thought sent chills down his spine and his entire body ached with desire; there was not even a trace of disgust or fear. He found himself smirking at the memory, excitement racing through him… the warmth, her eyes, the way it _felt…_

Against him, Amy stirred and groaned softly, lifting her head away from his hard chest. Squinting, she looked up at him and smiled softly, rubbing one eye. "Good morning…"

"It most certainly is…" He replied with a grin, watching intently as she moved across to lean on her elbows, displaying a decent amount of her cleavage.

She smiled coyly at him, biting her lip. It seemed she was recalling the events of the evening prior, too. Taking a deep breath, she looked him straight in the eye. "Did I… was it… satisfactory?"

Sheldon laughed, shaking his head at her and tucking a hand behind his neck. "It far surpassed 'satisfactory', Amy." He paused, watching as her coy smile turned cheeky. _That _smile made him want to pounce on her; to do it all over again. "Maybe some time I'll return the favour…"

Amy audibly gasped, eyes wide. "Sheldon –"

Grinning at her, he tossed back the covers and groped around for his trousers. "Right now, however, I am very late for work and you must drive me home, Leonard shouldn't have left as yet…"

Rolling her eyes, Amy chuckled and hopped out of bed as well, wearing nothing but a pair of dark underwear. "I 'must' take you?" She chastised, smirking.

He turned back to her, caught off-guard by her nude torso. It took all of his strength not to throw her back on the bed. "Yes, yes you must."

Smiling at him mischievously, she climbed onto the edge, kneeling in front of him. He gulped and stared down at her as she traced her fingers along the pale skin of his hipbone, dipping her finger under the top of his pants. "What do I get in return?"

Taking a deep breath, he felt the excitement stir within him and he bit his lip. She had rendered him speechless, again. "Come over tonight and I'll show you…" He said quietly, voice quivering.

The answer seemed to please her, so she scooted away with a smile on her face. That would be something to look forward to…

* * *

><p>After dropping Sheldon off at his apartment, Amy received a phone call from Penny requesting that she come over to Bernadette's straight away. She raced over to the apartment, parking out the front and leaping out into the windy street. Tugging her jacket around her tightly, she punched in the code and headed for the lift.<p>

Arriving at Bernadette's door, she knocked and waited impatiently, concerned that something was wrong. Penny hadn't sounded anxious, had she? She tried to think back to their conversation, but was interrupted by the front door swinging open and a tiny pair of arms wrapping around her body.

"Amy!" Her strawberry blonde friend squealed, squeezing her tightly. "Penny told me – why hadn't you called?"

Amy was dragged into the room by her petite, beaming friend and plonked onto her low line couch next to Penny, who was biting down a grin. "I'm sorry – I hadn't really had a chance –"

Bernadette waved a hand dismissively, bustling over to the kitchen and returning with a glass of champagne. "No, no, no – don't you apologise! Here you are, Penny…"

Amy raised an eyebrow and looked into the champagne flute. "Bernadette, it's barely midday –"

"And this is the perfect time to celebrate!" She responded, taking a seat across from her in an armchair and flattening her floral skirt. "Now, tell me everything!"

Smiling, Amy took a sip of her wine and glanced at Penny, who was as radiant as ever. "What did you tell her, bestie?"

Penny smirked and settled back into the couch. "Just that you and Sheldon had sex… and that he was awesome in the sack!"

Amy smiled widely, chuckling and feeling her cheeks warm up. "You could say that…"

"So," Bernadette pried, leaning forward, "what happened?"

Amy happily reiterated the entire story to Bernadette, as she had with Penny, feeling more and more excited as the memories came back to her. It didn't seem real; this Sheldon was so… perfect, to her.

The three girls were gushing over Amy's story, having shared an entire bottle of champagne between them. From her spot in the armchair, Bernadette smirked. "I just cannot believe that you had sex with _Sheldon Cooper_!"

"Neither can I…" Penny piped up, shaking her head. "So, what happened last night… Leonard told me he dropped Sheldon off at your apartment…"

Amy felt her heart race at the memory of the night before, instantly feeling like what she had done was somewhat taboo. She glanced around at her two friends, who were waiting eagerly for her response. "Sheldon was there when I got home, and he handed me his research paper he has been working on for months; the one he's had so much trouble solving, and told me he'd solved it." She paused, recalling the way he looked at her, how content he had been. "He told me that _I _had solved it; that I had made him feel focused and in control and happy…"

Both Penny and Bernadette were silent, watching as Amy collected her thoughts, feeling the weight of Sheldon's words. Amy stared into the golden liquid in her glass, tilting it from side to side. "I've never seen him so happy." She said quietly.

"Naw, sweetie!" Penny cooed, breaking the silence and pulling Amy over to her. "Of course he's happy, he's not dying of sexual frustration any more!"

Bernadette chuckled. "Penny's right – Sheldon's never had an experience like this before in his life, _you_ made him want this, and he likes it."

Biting her lip lightly, Amy smiled. "Yeah…"

"So, then what?" Penny asked, looking at Amy playfully. "Make up sex?"

"Oh, that's the best kind of sex…" Bernadette added, nodding.

"Not exactly," Amy replied, staring once again at her drink, "I was feeling a little… sore after the first time, so –"

Bernadette cut in, mouth agape. "_Sore? _How big is this man –"

"Shhh!" Penny said, waving her hand at Bernadette. "So…?"

Amy spoke quietly, feeling herself blush. "So, I did him a favour instead…"

"Oh my God, Amy!" Penny shrieked, punching her lightly in the arm. "You naughty girl!"

"Ooo, Amy!" Bernadette giggled, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand. "And…?"

Amy blinked at her, tilting her head. "And what?"

"Was he happy…?"

Frowning, Amy nodded. "Well, based on his body's biological response, I would say, yes, very –"

Penny chuckled and shook her head. "What did _you_ think, Ames?"

Amy considered the question for a moment, intrigued by the conversation. "Is this what most girl friends talk about?" She countered.

The two blondes nodded back at her and she shrugged. "Alright, I thought it was good." A fit of giggles erupted from her two best friends, and she sighed. "Is that socially unacceptable?"

"No," Penny replied through a stifled laugh, "that's… great!"

Amy felt herself growing defensive and instinctively straightened her back. "Hey – he said that it far surpassed 'satisfactory' –"

Beside her, Penny let out a hoot and continued to giggle, holding a hand over her mouth. "Oh, sweetie, _trust me _– I'm sure he thought it was _way_ beyond satisfactory!"

Bernadette seemed to have composed herself once again, and was looking at Amy's pink cheeks with a smirk. "So, what are you gonna do now?"

Shuffling in her seat, Amy frowned. "I don't really know… I guess we just carry on as normal –"

"Oh, come on!" Penny cut in, rolling her eyes. "There is no way you will just carry on as normal – sex adds a whole new dimension to a relationship. And besides, the man has about fifteen years to make up for, you're not going to get a moment of peace!"

Bernadette nodded. "She's right."

Amy sighed, and found herself smiling. The idea of Sheldon wanting more, wanting _her_ on a regular basis, sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Could this really be the start of a whole new life for them?

* * *

><p>Swinging open the door to the men's room flippantly, Sheldon couldn't help but feel a tiny spring in his step. To his surprise, Leonard had been able to get the two of them to work on time that morning, and Sheldon had instantly thrown himself back into his work, picking up where he had left off over the weekend. His working day was almost over, and he had achieved more in the hours he had been there than he had in months. The sharp smell of a Nobel Prize was almost stinging his nostrils; he could almost taste it.<p>

That night, the gang would be getting together for dinner at his apartment, and once they all headed home, he was hoping to spend some time with Amy. The thought of time alone with her was now hard to bear; giving him tingles and making his heart beat erratically. She was all his.

Wandering across to the urinal, he noticed that he was not alone; President Siebert was seemingly grimacing in the stall beside him. Sheldon gave him a small smile, slightly off-put by his odd expression.

"Dr. Cooper," President Siebert said stiffly, adjusting himself and making his way across to the basins.

"Hello, President Siebert." Sheldon replied simply, attending to his own business. Despite being slightly socially inept, he couldn't help but notice that President Siebert's behaviour was nothing short of odd. He made his way over to the basins, pumping soap onto his hands and rubbing it between his fingers.

President Siebert cleared his throat, eyeing Sheldon through the adjacent mirror, waiting expectantly for a bombardment of queries and suggestions and criticisms. To his complete amazement, they did not come. "How is your research coming along, Dr. Cooper?"

Sheldon looked up from the sink, rinsing his hands thoroughly. "Oh, very well indeed. I made a break through on my recent paper, which I am positive is going to propel me toward my imminent Nobel Prize." He grinned, happiness surging through him once again. "Perhaps when you have some time I will run you over my work."

President Siebert narrowed his eyes slightly, crossing his arms across his chest. "Certainly, when I have some spare time we will arrange to meet."

Sheldon smiled again and reached for the paper towel, absorbing the moisture from his hands. "Great. Have a good day." He turned to leave, but was caught by President Siebert's voice.

"Dr. Cooper, is everything alright?"

Sheldon turned back to the man, tilting his head. "Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

President Siebert rested his hip against the counter and gave him a look. "No 'have you received my recent suggestion regarding the seating arrangements in the cafeteria' or 'have you established as to the cause of the hole in my office wall'?"

A myriad of questions and suggestions poured back into Sheldon's mind; however he couldn't find good reason to share any one of them. He shrugged. "No."

"Are you sure you're alright – not feeling ill at all? It is completely acceptable for you to leave for the day if you are unwell; in fact it may even please certain staff members –"

"No, honestly President Siebert, I am in very good health and there is no need for my absence. I simply do not have any pressing issues to discuss with you at this current time." Sheldon responded, feeling unnaturally composed.

President Siebert shook his head lightly, eyebrows raised. "Alright, then. Good day, Dr. Cooper."

He stalked past and left the restroom, leaving Sheldon baffled.

Regularly, he would have had a series of questions and suggestions for President Siebert, but today he had no desire to share any one of them. He felt relatively calm, and whilst he still wished to express his opinions – as they were _always _right – he felt that they could wait another day or two.

Regularly, interaction with those outside of his social group was unpleasant, full of uncertainty and discomfort. And yet today, he had felt none of those things. President Siebert was just another person, who he had conversed with quite easily, with no ill feeling at all. He had felt oddly comfortable, normal, and that was okay.

_Fascinating._

* * *

><p>Later that evening, the entire group was seated around the coffee table, munching away quietly at their Monday night Thai. Since arriving, the gang had been peculiarly quiet, the only conversation coming from Raj, who had already polished off two bottles of beer.<p>

"- so I told the guy 'no, you definitely don't put that scarf with those jeans, you need _this_ one'… it was so obvious I don't even understand how he could be confused –"

Howard tossed his fork into his food container and folded his arms across his chest, swinging the desk chair to glare straight at Amy and Sheldon. "Okay – it's time that we address the gigantic elephant in the room – you two _had sex?_"

"What?" Raj burst, spilling beer all over his lap.

"Howie!" Bernadette scolded, slapping him lightly on the chest.

Amy – who felt her cheeks begin to burn - opened her mouth to speak, ready to diffuse the situation, but Sheldon beat her to it. Rolling his eyes, he placed his food onto the coffee table and sauntered over to the kitchen, grabbing spray and paper towel from under the sink. "If you must know, yes, Amy and I did engage in sexual intercourse."

Shaking her head, Amy covered her face. Penny and Leonard were chuckling in their seats opposite her, whilst Howard and Raj stared at Sheldon in shock.

"What – how –"

"Sheldon, do you even know what sexual intercourse _is_?"

Sheldon shook his head and glared at his friends, throwing Raj the spray and paper towel. "Yes, _thank you_, I know precisely what sexual intercourse is." He resumed his spot on the couch and glanced at Amy, who was biting her lip, smiling. Internally he groaned, why must she do that _now?_

Howard grinned cheekily, poking Amy in the knee. "Well, that would have been fun for you – what, a whole three minutes?"

Raj looked over at her, a serious expression painted across his face. "First times are never what you want them to be…"

"I'll say…" Leonard added quietly, slumping into his chair.

"Be nice…" Penny warned, smirking.

Amy attempted to respond, overwhelmed by the questions and teasing. "I – um…"

"_Excuse me,_" Sheldon interrupted, holding his head high, "our encounter lasted _well _beyond three minutes and –"

"What, five?" Howard sniggered, laughing with Raj.

"_And_," Sheldon continued irritably, "I'll have you all know that I performed admirably, as Amy has later confirmed."

Amy nodded, battling a raging war between severe embarrassment and pride. Was Sheldon, _her _Sheldon, bragging about his sexual performance? "It's true."

Howard shook his head, somewhat in defeat. "Well, I'll be damned…"

Penny crossed one leg over the other and settled back into the haggard armchair, looking intently at Sheldon. "Did you like it, Sheldon?" She asked, smirking.

The three other males groaned in protest. Leonard shook his head adamantly. "Oh, Penny, we don't want to know –"

Sheldon shrugged, nonchalant. "Yes, yes I did."

Beside him, Amy felt the breath disappear from her lungs, heart racing. She knew he had enjoyed it, but to hear him admitting that to others was… unimaginable. A tiny smile sprang to her lips and she lowered her head, taking a deep interest in her braised chicken.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand stroking her cheek playfully. "Oh, Amy – you're blushing!" Bernadette cooed beside her, beaming.

"No I'm not…" She replied defiantly, rising to pour herself a drink. Grabbing a glass from an overhead cupboard, she flicked on the tap and filled it with water, guzzling it down and staring at the wall in front of her. An arm snaked gently around her waist and she jumped, finding herself face to face with those striking blue eyes.

Sheldon tilted his head and spoke softly. "I'm not ashamed to tell them, are you?"

Amy could feel his hand burning into her side, the unexpected physical contact making her giddy. She smiled. "No, not at all."

"Good," he said, leaning in toward her ear, "are we still on for tonight?"

The gravelly tone of his voice make her shiver and she gave him a cheeky grin. "I guess…"

He raised his eyebrows at her, returning the smirk flirtatiously. "You _guess_…?"

From behind the couple, Leonard's voice interrupted them. "Oh, Amy, that reminds me – are you free to meet up with me for lunch tomorrow? Just the two of us?"

Before she could give him a response, Sheldon had folded his arms across his broad chest and glared at his best friend. "No, she most certainly _cannot _meet up with you for lunch tomorrow 'just the two of you'."

Amy ignored her suddenly territorial boyfriend and nodded across at Leonard. "Sure, how come?"

"Just got a couple of things I need to talk to you about." He replied, grinning broadly at Sheldon, who was sulking. "Come on, Sheldon, it's just lunch…"

Moving around the island bench, Sheldon was now towering over Leonard, who was comfortably seated in a desk chair beside Penny. "And what exactly do you need to discuss?"

Leonard leant back in his chair, seemingly entertained by Sheldon's jealous streak. "It's none of your business –"

"I beg to differ; it most certainly _is_ my business should it involve _my_ girlfriend –"

Amy swept past him; grasping his hand and tugging him back to his spot, pushing him down. "Sheldon, it's okay – relax."

He huffed and sank into the couch, pouting. "Fine, but I expect a full report on the topics discussed –"

"Well," Howard cut in, standing up and stretching, "if we're going to make this movie we'd better get going – Leonard, Penny, you still in?"

Penny sprung out of her seat, nodding. "Yeah, we're still coming – let's go, Leonard, leave these two alone…"

Bernadette gathered her handbag and extracted her keys. "Have fun!" She teased, pulling her coat over her shoulders.

Leonard followed the group to the door, and then turned back to Sheldon. "I'm staying at Penny's tonight, 'cause that's sort of what I do now… so, the place is yours…"

"Thank you," Sheldon responded, somewhat curtly, "have a good evening, then."

The group left, leaving Sheldon and Amy alone for what felt like the first time in a long time. A thick, tense silence settled in, and Amy could feel Sheldon's eyes watching her closely. Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight toward her slightly. "So, what did you want to do this evening? We could watch a movie, or a documentary – I'm sure I have something around here that we haven't seen before…"

He trailed off, realizing that Amy was toying with the edge of her skirt, tugging it higher and higher up her milky thigh. Watching a movie was the furthest thing from his mind at that moment, and he felt his body instantly react to her seductive ways. Her bright eyes looked at him curiously, challenging him to resist. He couldn't.

"Sheldon, you know _exactly _what I want…" She said huskily, drawing her legs up onto the couch and shuffling closer to him. Swallowing hard, he brushed his fingers along her own, pushing them away from the plaid fabric and continuing to slide the skirt upwards. He felt his breathing grow shallow and he bit his lower lip, the soft skin of her inner thigh like velvet against his fingertips.

Watching him intently, Amy leant across and kissed him lightly, feeling shivers course down her spine. His breathing hitched and he deepened the kiss, desperate to taste her, to feel her. Every nerve in his body felt electrified all over again, and he drew away, eyes clouded with lust and excitement.

Slowly, he traced his fingers across her lace panties, the warmth and slight moisture causing him to groan. She took a deep breath and rolled her head back, tilting her hips up toward his hand. He lightly pressed against her and she moaned, arching her back. Curiosity taking over, he slipped his hand beneath the flimsy fabric and swiftly, gently, slid a long finger inside her. She cried out and he felt himself harden instantly, watching in wonderment at her body's explicit reaction.

Gripping at his thigh tightly, she looked at him, eyes blazing with desire. "Sheldon…"

Before he knew it, she had pushed his hand away roughly, sliding off her lower garments and straddling his hips. Kissing him again fiercely, from his lips to his neck, she ground herself against him, smiling devilishly. Without requiring permission, Sheldon hastily fiddled with his buckle beneath her, slipping his pants and briefs to the floor. Reaching for her blouse, he undid the first three buttons, kissing and nipping the skin of her chest.

There was nothing between them now but soft moans and shallow breath, and Amy sought out his gaze, locking her eyes with his own. Slowly, teasingly, she descended onto his length, digging her fingers into his arms as intense pleasure took over her body. Every single moment of their first time came rushing back to her, fueling her arousal, and she watched on in awe as he moaned loudly, eyelids drooping in ecstasy. Carefully, she rolled against him, developing a rhythm, marvelling at every stroke, every movement.

Sheldon threw his head back, hands trailing beneath her bra. "Amy, you feel… incredible…"

Unable to control himself any longer, he pushed her writhing body off him and onto the length of the couch, thrusting his hardness into her once again. He was in control now. Looking down, she stared back at him with wide eyes, chest heaving. A primal desperation surged through him, and he allowed himself to let go, pounding into her harder, deeper than he had before. In that moment, he cared about nothing but the two of them, and making their moment perfect.

She whimpered his name again, and he felt so close, dropping his neck to kiss her again. Drawing her legs around his waist, she drew him closer, and he cried out, feeling himself lose control. The darkened room around him spun and blurred as he reached his climax, fierce pleasure pulsing through his veins.

"Sheldon, I…" Amy breathed, following him rapturously, gripping his body close to her own. Surely this was too good to be real?

They collapsed together, breathing heavily, smiling coyly at one another. "Amy…" Sheldon began quietly, but was disrupted by her lips brushing against his. He had never felt so content, so complete.

"Come on," she whispered, tapping him away from her and leading him to the bathroom. Again, as they had before, they stepped under the hot stream together, a habit that was slowly, surely, becoming their own.

* * *

><p>Amy gazed at the sloped salt-shaker sitting in front of her on the sandy coloured table top, resting her chin lazily against the palm of her hand. The tiny coffee shop, just doors down from Sheldon and Leonard's apartment, was buzzing with business, and she had managed to squeeze herself into a rickety looking seat in the shop window, looking out over the bustling traffic. Casting her eyes across to the sidewalk, she smiled at a young couple sitting on a park bench beneath wilting tree, leaves whispering at their feat. The flaming haired girl laughed and placed a kiss on the boy's cheek, and Amy bit her lip, staring back at the salt-shaker. She knew how that felt now, and it was perfect.<p>

A small jingle of the bell above the front door rang and she glanced up, face to face with Leonard. Smiling, he took a seat across from her, shuffling forward. "Hey, Amy!"

She grinned back. "Good morning!"

"How are you this morning…?" He asked suggestively, pushing the cutlery and serviettes to the side and leaning forward on his forearms.

Smirking, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Very well, thank you, and yourself?"

"Good, good…" He looked across to the counter, pointing as he stood. "You want anything?"

"Peppermint tea, thank you."

Leonard breezed across to the counter, placing an order and returning with a table number. He looked unusually nervous and she tilted her head, frowning. "You look a little nervous Leonard, everything okay?"

He looked up at her over his glasses and nodded dismissively. "Oh, yeah, everything's fine…"

Amy nodded, unconvinced. "Okay… well, what did you want to meet with me about?"

A petite girl with a vibrant frangipani in her chestnut hair slid a tray onto their table, arranging the drinks and Leonard's sandwich. "There you go," she said sweetly and headed back to the counter.

"Thanks," Leonard said, and took a sip of his black coffee, "there are a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about…"

Dunking the green teabag into her china cup of hot water, Amy frowned. "Okay…"

He shuffled, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Penny and I are thinking about moving in together, into her apartment, but we're really concerned about how my leaving is going to affect Sheldon. We were wondering if you would consider moving in, taking my place…"

Amy stared at him, allowing his proposal to sink in. For years, she had lived alone, away from her mother, away from her friends; from everyone. And it had worked, somewhat. But now, more than ever, she did feel lonely, and wanted to be nearer to Sheldon more than anything. Would he want the same? "I would most certainly consider it… how do you suggest we go about such a delicate issue?"

Leonard grinned at her and bounced in his seat, the prospect of living with Penny getting the better of him. "Oh, you would? Great!" She gave him a look and he settled. "Okay, um, well… originally I was thinking we could just gradually phase it in… I start staying at Penny's basically every night and you start staying at our place… assuming Sheldon wants you to… which I still think will work, but Penny thinks you should talk to Sheldon about it first."

Amy smiled at her best friend's kindness. "She always has his best interests at heart…"

"Yeah, yeah, now what do you think?" Leonard asked impatiently, taking a bite out of his tall sandwich.

She shrugged. "I can talk to him about it, but you know what he's like – there's no guarantee…"

Leonard chewed his mouthful of food and looked at her. "Yeah, but now that the two of you are… you know… maybe he'll feel a little more… inclined to have you around."

"I'll talk to him tonight, if he's all for it, we'll go ahead, if not, we'll try to implement your plan." She replied, blowing the lingering steam from her tea cup. "Now, what else did you need to discuss with me?"

He grew considerably quiet, and began fiddling with his napkin, twisting it around his fingers in his lap. Swallowing, he met her eyes, face pale. "Amy… I want to ask Penny to marry me."

Amy felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach and grinned broadly, struggling not to let out an uncharacteristic squeal. "Oh my God, Leonard!"

A sheepish smile rose to the physicist's face, and his cheeks flushed deep red. "Yeah… you're the only one who knows, I wanted you to know, to maybe help me… you are her best friend…"

Shaking her head, Amy was positively beaming. "You're going to ask Penny to _marry _you? And I'm the only one who knows? Oh, wow… this is just…" She frowned, a thought popping into her head. "Aren't you a little worried that you've never lived together before, and you're just about to…?"

Shrugging, Leonard gave her a lopsided grin. "Nah, I've known Penny for so long now I know it's right. Besides, I'm not going to do it right away; I just wanted to let you know so I can start planning, with your help…"

Once again, Amy found herself unable to contain her smile, leaning forward. "Okay, tell me your plan…"

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Sheldon trudged up the three flights of stairs to Amy's apartment, after another productive day at work and a slow bus trip to her place, seated next to an elderly gentleman who insisted on telling him all about his many grandchildren. Much to his own surprise, Sheldon managed to hold a conversation with him, nodding at the correct intervals and smiling with fake interest.<p>

Sighing, he slid the key into the lock and turned it with a clunk, letting himself in. The instant he swung open the door, he was hit with an overwhelming wave of contentedness, even the mere scent of her sending him into a state of relaxation. He smiled happily, swinging his bag across his body and peeling off his jacket, placing both on the couch.

"Amy?" He called, glancing around the living room and into the kitchen. She was no where to be seen, although there was a pile of chopped vegetables sitting her counter, and the kettle was boiling away merrily.

There was a bustling from her bedroom. "Just a second!"

Sheldon smirked, taking a seat at one of the bar stools lined up along her counter. He cast his eyes over her small kitchen; spice jars perfectly appointed on the rack, kitchen knives arranged in size order, steel sink sparkling clean and – to his delight – a thick, haggard looking biology text book open beside her chopping board. Sliding the book around to face him, he smiled at the sliced images of human brains, annotations scribbled messily across the glossy page. _Beyond perfect, _he thought.

"Good evening!" Amy said brightly, making his heart leap from his chest. She came to stand across from him, resuming her work on the vegetables. Her face was flushed slightly, and she had her hair tugged back into a high ponytail, donning grey tracksuit pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt.

The incredible feeling of breathlessness that she brought upon him was beginning to feel normal, and he smiled lightly. "Hello Amy. How are you going?"

She smiled up at him, eyes drifting from the butcher's knife slicing through a carrot. "Good, and you?"

"Very well…" He said, allowing his eyes to wander over her as they so often did, loving the freedom. Dragging his gaze from her décolletage, he watched carefully as she continued chopping away. "What are you cooking?"

Amy looked across at him, pushing away the pile of carrot sticks and moving on to the capsicum. "A stir-fry… I trust that's suitable…"

"Oh, yes, certainly…" He responded, sensing something wasn't quite right. "Is there something wrong?"

She turned down the blade of the knife, placing the handle carefully on the counter. Shifting her gaze to him, he felt a pang of unmistakable concern at the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I need to talk to you about something, Sheldon." She said quietly, leaning against the counter.

He sat back in his chair, eyeing her warily. "Alright…"

"Leonard and I met for lunch today, as you know and –"

Instantly, Sheldon felt his chest ablaze with fury. "What did he do? Did he confess his undying love for you, because if he did I'll –"

Amy chuckled and cut him off, holding out a hand between them. "No, Sheldon, he didn't. We met for lunch today and Leonard told me that he is thinking of moving out of your apartment, into Penny's."

The information took a moment to sink in, and Sheldon stilled as he processed it. Dread instantly filled him, he couldn't live alone in that large apartment, and Leonard most certainly could not leave, he was his best friend. "No." He replied shortly, folding his arms over his chest.

Amy shook her head, taken aback. "No?"

"No, Leonard cannot move into Penny's, it's far too much of a hassle, and besides, she only lives just across the hall –"

She cut him off, looking at him skeptically. "Sheldon, this may come as somewhat of a surprise to you but that isn't your decision, if Leonard wishes to move in with Penny, that's his choice."

He pouted, huffing. "But if Leonard decides to move in with Penny the apartment will be empty, and then I'd have to look for a potential roommate and…" Trailing off, he felt her fingertips brushing his arm, sending shivers down his spine. Meeting her gaze, he felt something clunk into place in his mind.

Amy took a deep breath, continuing his sentence. "And that's why I was thinking it would be a lot simpler if perhaps I were to move in with you."

To his complete surprise, the idea was already in his head before the words left her mouth, and he stared at the bench top, mesmerized by the speckled pattern in the marble. The prospect of having his girlfriend live with him made him stomach drop, a complex series of emotions racing through his mind. The first, he mused, was pure excitement, followed closely by dread. "If you were to move in with me?" He repeated, mumbling slightly.

"Yes, if that's something you want, too…" She replied, and he could feel her eyes burning into his head, challenging him to look up.

Every fight he'd heard, every screaming match, every sleepless night he'd endured, waiting for the arguments to stop, came flooding back to him in a rush, and he found himself shaking his head stiffly. In his experience, living under one roof ruined relationships, tore families apart, and brought out the worst in people. What he had now with Amy was so perfect, could he really take that risk?

"Amy, I…" He tilted his neck up to look at her, meeting her awaiting gaze. Despite his habitual reservations, the new, strong part of him was screaming to say yes, to let her in. "I don't know…"

Sighing, she moved around the counter to stand in front of him, and he swiveled the bar stool so she stood between his legs. Locking eyes, she gave him a tiny smile. "How about this… take some time to think about it and let me know." She paused, and then smiled naughtily, tracing a hand down his chest lightly. "Although I can see quite a few plausible reasons as to why you would say yes…"

His heart fluttered and he gulped, struggling to remain focused. "Like…?"

"Like I can cook for you, and we can play Counterfactuals together, and I can marvel at your work…" She nipped him lightly on the exposed skin of his neck, and he jumped. "I can make sure you are satisfied at all times…"

Tingles shot down his spine at her words and he smirked, shaking his head as she sauntered back around to resume preparing dinner. "Vixen…"

Living together was starting to look more and more appealing as the moments went on….


	27. Chapter 27

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hooray for chapter 27! I don't know that I have a whole lot to say for this chapter, other than it's not quite as racy as the more recent chapters (but don't worry – I'll be sure to make up for it in the next one!) and I had a lot of fun writing it! Please remember to review, it's so wonderful to hear all kinds of feedback and I'm so grateful to have such avid readers! Enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 27**

Staring absently at the dark, circular grain of the wooden desk in front of him, Sheldon sighed and twirled his pen between his fingers. The heat of the mid-morning sun was teasing his back, pouring through the large, open windows behind him. Concentration and focus were avoiding him on this particular morning, and he resisted the temptation to toss his pen out the window at the ever-frustrating wind-chimes hanging just outside his office. He still hadn't taken them down, even after Amy had suggested doing so. _Amy. _Huffing again, he rubbed at his tired eyes and dropped his pen onto the desk irritably, attempting to focus his attention on the bright computer screen in front of him.

_By examining the clearly outlined specimen 'a', in contrast to the latter outlined specimen 'b', it is evident that the hypothesized outcome and hence the solution would logically be…_

_To have Amy live with you._

He pushed the keyboard away from him angrily and rested his head in his hands, groaning. His entire morning had been spent this way; constantly pondering the best solution, and Amy just wouldn't leave his mind. It was maddening. After her proposal the evening prior, he had consciously buried the entire idea, finally managing to get some rest beside her. Yet it seemed this move hadn't been wise, as now the decision was haunting him.

Biting his lip, he ran his hands down his face and sat back, adamant that he would reach a verdict and continue on with his day's work productively; _without _the alluring Amy Farrah Fowler bouncing around in his mind. But what did he want?

_I want Amy with me._

He frowned. Yes, that was precisely what he wanted, surprisingly. The thought of her there, next to him, every morning, every evening, with little risk that she'd find another suitor, in an environment where he could care for her, made everything feel just… right.

_But what about the Roommate Agreement?_

The Roommate Agreement. Would he need to draw up an entire new document based on the relationship between the two of them as it currently stood? He glanced across the table to his bag, where he could see the very edge of the bound Relationship Agreement sticking out, reminding him of its presence. Amy had broken it down, told him that he would draw it back to one single page, outlining that their relationship and the actions within it would be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Would she want the same for a Roommate Agreement? Or could he bring himself to live life alongside her in _their _apartment, without any agreement at all?

_No._

_Yes, _he pushed back, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. Whilst the thought made him nauseous; the prospect of living in a home with no rules, no regulations, and the potential for his life to be turned upside down, he _wanted _it. He _wanted _to let go; to share this experience together, like they had so many other experiences. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. Amy lived her own life with such similar values and ideals to him; even if they weren't to have an agreement, could it really go so wrong?

_Of course it could, you could lose her, lose everything._

He toyed with the cord of his office phone, twisting it around his finger gently. Losing her was – quite simply – not an option. He couldn't. Besides, everything was so right as it was, how could bringing her closer damage what they already have? Bringing her into his home, living together, surely wouldn't push her away?

_What would your mother say?_

The thought made him roll his eyes and spin his chair to gaze out into the courtyard. Despite its other shortcomings, his office really did have a pleasing view, surrounded by slowly browning leaves of tall trees and the skyline of old buildings in the place he called his home. The question continued to niggle at him. His mother would be appalled; appalled that he was living a life of sin and appalled that would even consider living with his girlfriend without first marrying her.

_Marrying her…_

Sheldon felt his stomach drop. That would certainly solve the issues he had with his mother; to simply propose and sign on the dotted line. He had his reservations about marriage; it seemed like an unnecessary step in today's society, a garish opportunity for a couple to throw themselves a large celebration and spend copious amounts of money. And yet, something tugged at him. Something excited him about making Amy _his_, officially and in the eyes of the law. A _binding _covenant.

_Amy Farrah… Cooper?_

He smirked, it didn't sound right. Sinking lower into his chair, he sighed again and leant into the palm of his hand. The thought of proposing to Amy, of getting down on one knee in the way he knew made women swoon, made his heart race. And to have a wedding… it made him feel ill. Marriage or no marriage, he wanted Amy by his side, he wanted to be _together_. He needed advice, and felt reluctant to involve his mother with her heavily religious views.

There was only one other person he knew he could call.

* * *

><p>"So, Leonard, how'd you manage to score a late start at work this morning?" Penny asked, snuggling in closer to her boyfriend's chest, pulling the pastel coloured covers up around her neck.<p>

He grinned down at her, placing an arm behind his head. "Well, I've been working late recently, and Amy dropped Sheldon off this morning, so I called and said I'd been in around lunch time due to a 'medical appointment' – sneaky, huh?"

She giggled at him, relaxing into the crook of his bare neck. "Very sneaky! Well, I'm very glad that you were dishonest and decided to spend the entire morning with your girlfriend."

"Me too," Leonard replied happily, reaching across for his glasses and sliding them up his nose, "I'm also very glad that Sheldon is now sleeping at Amy's; now she can drive the big guy to work once in a while…"

Penny pushed a ringlet of blonde hair behind her ear and smirked. "You know that when you move in here nothing's going to change; you're still gonna have to take Sheldon to work every day…"

He sighed. "I know… but at least I get drop him off with Amy and come home to you every night."

Smiling, she propped herself up on her elbow. "How did that lunch with the two of you go yesterday? Is Amy all for it?"

Leonard mirrored her, resting his head against his hand and facing her. "Yeah, she said she'd speak to Sheldon about it last night, like you suggested. I think she likes the idea of living with him… brave woman…"

Penny laughed. "She is. I'm surprised I haven't heard from her, thought she would have told me how it went…"

"I'd say she and Sheldon are pretty preoccupied now… let's face it; the guy has a fair few years to make up for…" Leonard said, grinning.

Rolling her eyes, Penny turned to lay flat on her back. "Convincing Sheldon is going to be tough… but think about what it would mean for us if he agreed… we would be _living _together!"

Leonard shuffled slightly and smiled. "We'd be like a little married couple…"

Penny stilled, turning her head to look at him closely. "A married couple…?"

"Yeah, you know like… Howard and Bernadette!" He back-peddled, waving his hands in the air expressively. "In our own little apartment, cooking dinner together… you know, wedding or no wedding we'd be just like a little married couple… all cute, you know…"

Laughing nervously, he fell back into the covers and stared at the ceiling, regretting his every word. He hated what she did to him sometimes; turning him into a nervous, mumbling wreck. Why had he brought that up _now?_

Penny's puzzled face suddenly hovered over his, golden curls falling around her face. "What are you on about?"

He straightened his glasses on the bridge of his nose and avoided her gaze, smiling sheepishly. "Oh, nothing… you know me… just babbling on…"

Despite the slight look of confusion still lingering in her eyes, his explanation seemed to pacify her and she gave him a lop-sided grin. "Naw, sweetie…" She rubbed her nose gently against his and rolled away, perching on the edge of the bed and reaching for her robe.

Sitting up, he cocked his head to one side. "What are you doing?"

The waitress tied a knot tightly on her hip and scooped her hair up into a bun. "Making you brunch!"

Smiling softly, Leonard sat up and watched her walk away, marveling at her perfection. He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, nodding. This was definitely the right thing to do.

* * *

><p>Amy yawned, staring into the bottom of a seemingly empty Petri dish. Carefully, she lined a bright pink sticker across the lip of the dish and held it between her fingers, scribbling across it messily and placing it in a pile with the remaining specimens. Her day was cruising along slowly in the lab, and after a late night spent with her boyfriend she was feeling unusually lazy and a little unfocused. She would have much preferred be at home with him…<p>

Swinging her chair around, she scooted over to collect some clean test tubes, placing them carefully on the rack. It was lucky that her day's work had involved menial tasks, housekeeping, as she would have struggled to achieve anything more involved. Sighing, she crossed one leg over the other and smirked as she felt the soft skin of her calf brush her knee… never had she needed to be so consistent in something as simple as shaving her legs…

The thought brought a huge smile to her face and she bit her lip, anxious that someone may walk in and discover her giggling goofily. Her physical relationship with Sheldon had surpassed her every expectation; never had she expected that he would _want _it as much as he did… and as often…

"Hey, stranger!" A tiny voice sounded from the doorway, and Amy yelped, jumping in her seat. Bernadette stepped into the room, Raj with her, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, Ames, didn't mean to frighten you!"

Regaining her composure, Amy smiled at the two of them and slipped out of her seat, crossing the room to wheel over another couple of stools. "No, that's quite alright! Here," she slid a chair across to Raj, who threw himself into it and smiled.

"Hi Amy!" He said brightly, and then held up a paper bag. "We brought lunch!"

Amy looked at Bernadette quizzically, sensing something was amiss. "Why is Raj with you?"

Bernadette raised an eyebrow and peeled away her bright red coat, hanging it over the back of the chair. "Howard called me to come pick him up from Caltech after he was caught drinking in his office… something about a young lady he was trying to impress…"

Raj shook his head defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "You don't understand Bernadette - she was very beautiful and most definitely a suitable candidate to become my future bride!"

Bernadette slid up onto her chair and glanced at Amy. "He's had a fair bit already," she patted the back of his hand, smiling at him, "and Howie tells me she seemed interested in you even before you could talk to her… maybe you just need to give it some time…"

Raj's head sank a little and he swayed his chair from side to side. "I know…"

Amy eyed him carefully, and shrugged. "Raj, have you ever considered being honest with a woman you find attractive? Perhaps writing her an email or a letter outlining your problem and that you like her very much but she'll have to be patient... if she likes you then she'll take you up on your offer…"

Raj looked straight at her and tilted his head. "I suppose… I'd never thought of that…" He paused, watching as Bernadette unpacked their lunch. "But what if she laughs at me? It's a pretty sensitive issue, you know…"

Bernadette gave him a gentle smile and handed him his neatly wrapped sandwich. "If she laughs at you then she's not the right one."

Amy nodded, shuffling closer to the bench top. "And if she decides that she does want to be a part of your life, you may find that with time and exposure to her that you can talk to her freely, without any stimulants. You can only try."

Raj grinned, straightening his back slightly. "You know what? Maybe you're right. I'm going to email Olivia tonight, and if she doesn't like it, well I'll find someone else!"

"Good for you!" Amy praised with a grin, glancing at Bernadette out of the corner of her eye.

Bernadette suppressed a tiny smirk. "Maybe just give her a couple of days to get over the initial introduction that you gave her today…"

Amy laughed and bit into her sandwich, happy that she had company and a distraction. "Thank you for bringing lunch… what a nice surprise!"

"That's okay, but I have to know the goss," Bernadette leaned in slightly and lowered her voice, casting her eyes around the room, "Penny says that you're trying to convince Sheldon to let you move in with him so Leonard can move in with her!"

Raj glanced up from his lunch, mouth agape. "No?"

Nodding, Amy looked at them both. Nothing was sacred. "Yes, Leonard and Penny have decided that they would like to live together and we figured that the easiest way to transition this would be if I moved in with Sheldon…"

"We?" Bernadette said, eyeing her carefully.

"Yes…" Amy said slowly, uncertain, "Penny, Leonard and I…"

Raj still seemed stunned by the news, and shook his head. "You are a courageous woman Amy Farrah Fowler… first you go ahead and have sex with Sheldon Cooper and now you're thinking of living with him… wow…"

Bernadette had put her sandwich down and was now watching Amy, elbows resting on the counter. "Amy… is this what you want?"

Amy blinked at her, confused. "Of course it is… what…?"

"If Leonard wants to move in with Penny that's wonderful… but they shouldn't be dragging you into this if you're not ready." Bernadette said, and beside her, Raj nodded in agreement.

Looking from one to the other, Amy sighed. "But I do want this…"

"Are you sure?" Bernadette asked quietly.

Amy stilled, staring intently at her sandwich. She was suddenly walloped with a wall of emotion and felt herself break, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I want it more than anything… I don't want to be alone anymore…" Her voice cracked and she drew a hand across her forehead. This wasn't supposed to happen, not today.

Suddenly there were big arms around her and a hand stroking her head, hushing her softly. "It's okay…" Raj's voice rang beside her ear and she choked a laugh, grinning over at Bernadette.

Gently stroking the back of her hand, Bernadette smiled. "If that's what you want, then go for it… but you know that Sheldon can be hard work…"

Amy could feel Raj nodding against her hair. "I shared an office with him; I _know_ he can be a royal pain in the ass."

She chuckled lightly at the support from her tipsy friend and nodded. "I know he can be… but ever since we started… well, you know… he's been so much _better_. So much happier, so much more normal… so much more himself, not this man who is riddled with constant battles for control and routine…"

Raj let go of her and passed her a box of tissues from the bench adjacent. He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. "Of course he's better… he's getting laid!"

Bernadette rolled her eyes and tugged him back around to sit in his chair. "Finish your lunch," she snapped playfully, and then turned her attention back to Amy, "so long as you're happy that's all that matters. I love living with Howie, especially now that it's just the two of us… although we're married…"

Amy bit her lip, feeling her stomach somersault at the word. "Yeah…"

"Oh, and his mother!" Raj said suddenly, making the two girls jump. "She is a lovely lady but she is _very _religious… I wonder what she'll think of Sheldon living with a woman who's not his wife…"

Bernadette stared at Raj and then shot her eyes back to Amy. "That's true…"

"I hadn't really thought about that," Amy said numbly, taking a deep breath, "you don't think she'd insist on the two of us getting married, do you…?"

"I don't know… Sheldon's a grown man, it's ultimately his decision…" Bernadette paused, thinking over the possibility, "Amy… what if he did propose?"

Raj was suddenly bouncing in his seat. "Oh, that would be adorable –"

"Shhh!" Bernadette said, cutting him off.

Amy's heart was racing; she hadn't considered marriage as a part of the equation at all. She had only thought about making this work, and moving in with Sheldon as his girlfriend, not his fiancé or wife. Would Sheldon really allow his mother's opinion to sway him? "I don't really think he would…"

"He might," Bernadette said softly, giving her a tiny smile, "although the thought of Sheldon Cooper proposing to anyone just seems…"

"Unreal." Raj finished, cupping his cheek in his hand.

Amy took a deep breath and wrapped up the remainder of her sandwich, her appetite suddenly waning. This wouldn't do. She wouldn't allow this to bother her; it was _Sheldon's _decision, not his mother's, nor anyone else's. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what he decides."

Standing, she moved across to the bin and threw away her napkin, letting the lid close with a thud. A moment passed before she realized that she was staring at her ring finger, and it felt like it was on fire.

_Amy Farrah… Cooper?_

* * *

><p>Sheldon took a seat in his regular spot in the cafeteria, sliding his tray along the laminated table and gazing at his food. The afternoon had travelled on steadily, with him reaching no further decisions and making no further progress on his work. He was considering going home; it seemed he was that useless.<p>

Across from him, Howard plonked himself into his chair, pulling it in with a screech. "Good afternoon!"

"Hello, Howard." Sheldon replied quietly, pushing a pea around his plate with his fork.

Tucking a napkin into the top of his turtle neck, Howard frowned and watched the tall physicist. "That wasn't a very chirpy hello for a man that's acquired a brand new, healthy sexual appetite!"

Sheldon glared at him, shaking his head. "No, it wasn't…"

"Something got you down?" Howard asked, shoveling cold pasta into his mouth.

Sighing, Sheldon placed his fork down and crossed his arms. "Leonard has decided that he would like to move in with Penny… putting me in an incredibly awkward and inconvenient situation… and now Amy has suggested that perhaps she should move in in Leonard's place…"

Howard grinned. "Well, that's great! You could have all the sex you have ever dreamed of –"

Sheldon narrowed his eyes and scowled. "I'm already _well _aware of those certain perks I can assure you," he paused, huffing, "my concern lies with the interest of our relationship… I don't know that living together is going to be the best move."

Shrugging, Howard took a sip out of his juice box. "Bernie and I do it okay…"

"And by all accounts she has stepped up to play the role of your mother in order to maintain the peace." Sheldon taunted in return.

Howard held his fork up in the air in protest. "Hey, that's not entirely true – Bernadette and I have sorted out a lot of things and I'm not perfectly capable of taking care of myself _and _the household if need be. Now –"

Sheldon waved his hand dismissively, his tolerance wearing thin. "Well, what about the Roommate Agreement? Leonard and I have spent year after year adjusting and perfecting that agreement to suit the two of us, and if Amy were to move in with me I may need to write up a whole new agreement… and then if I didn't we would have no rules to live by at all…"

Blinking at him, Howard tilted his head to one side uncertainly. "Why are you asking me about all of this?"

"Well, I wouldn't be doing it by choice, but you're the only one here and I can't ring my mother, she would just tell me to marry her…" Sheldon muttered, leaning back in his seat.

Howard frowned, and then realisation struck him. "Sheldon, are you asking me for advice because _I'm married?_"

Sheldon averted his eyes to his pasta dish, exhaling loudly. "I most certainly don't have any _other _married friends, now do I?"

Grinning, Howard sat up straight in his seat, leaning forward on his forearms. "Would you look at that… Dr. Sheldon Cooper asking Howard Wolowitz for advice… a mere engineer…"

"I can just as easily take that away," Sheldon snapped, and Howard rolled his eyes.

"Fine. So, what do you want to know?"

Sheldon squirmed and finally met Howard's eyes. "I find myself… conflicted… as to whether or not to request Amy's hand in marriage prior to the two of us living together."

Howard shook his head lightly. "Wait – go back a step; so you _do_ want Amy to live with you?"

"Well, putting all other formalities aside, yes, I would like Amy to live with me, under the right circumstances –"

"But you're worried about what your mother will say if you live together unmarried?" Howard interrupted, and then sniggered. "And you used to say _I _was a momma's boy…"

Sheldon glared, sighing. "If you wish to put it that simply, yes, I am. I am trying to determine whether or not marriage would be beneficial to both myself and our relationship, and you're the only one in our social group with any marital experience…"

Putting down his fork, Howard clasped his hands together and looked at Sheldon seriously. "Marriage is great… getting married to Bernadette was an opportunity for me to show her how much I love her and to make her mine. But the truth is, our relationship would be no different if we weren't married. We live together, in an apartment that is ours, and a signed piece of paper and a ring doesn't change the way we feel about one another." He paused, shrugging. "Sure, you can ask Amy to marry you, but if you're only doing it for your mother's sake then that's pretty stupid…"

Sheldon swallowed, allowing Howard's words to sink in. The man was right; this was his life, it was his apartment and his girlfriend – what bearing should his mother have on this decision?

"Besides," Howard cut in, raising his eyebrows, "with the way you were raised down in the south I would imagine it would be quite the turn-on to have a woman living in your house, sleeping in your bed who wasn't your wife… very taboo… like a mistress…"

Sheldon scrunched up his nose at his odd friend, shaking his head. "I was raised in the south, not in the eighteenth century…"

"Hey guys!" A voice said brightly, and Sheldon watched as Leonard took a seat beside Howard, grinning at the two of them.

"Hey!" Howard replied happily, picking up his fork and continuing his lunch.

Instantly, Sheldon felt hostile and he gave Leonard a small glare. "Hello."

Leonard frowned at him, and shook his head lightly. "Where's Raj?"

"Got sent home for drinking on premises," Howard filled in casually, taking a bite out of his apple.

"No way!" Leonard said, grinning. "A girl?"

Howard nodded. "You know it."

Sheldon huffed and pushed his tray away from himself, folding his arms across his chest. The mere sight of Leonard was making his entire situation more difficult. "And where have you been all morning?"

Leonard looked up from his lunch, startled by the initiation of the conversation. "At Penny's…?"

Sheldon narrowed his eyes. "Penny's. I see."

Looking across to Howard with some confusion – who shrugged and gave him a skeptical look – Leonard sighed. "What have I done now?"

"It seems you've upset Dr. Cooper here by suggesting that his girlfriend move in with him." Howard said, smirking. "He even had to come to _me_ for advice, that's how worried he was…"

Leonard looked across at Sheldon, who was sulking. "Sheldon, there is no pressure whatsoever for Amy to come and live with you, but either way I _am_ moving into Penny's. We just thought that having you there might help the whole process be a little smoother for you…"

"Well, thank you for your concern." Sheldon responded curtly, focusing on his tray once again.

There was a moment of silence, and Leonard pondered whether to continue on with the conversation. Howard made the decision for him. "Sheldon actually asked for my advice Leonard, are you hearing this? He's worried what his mom will think if he moves in with Amy without marrying her first –"

"Thanks, Wolowitz…" Sheldon mumbled, growling.

Leonard's eyes fell to Sheldon, and he immediately felt bad. He knew the impact that Mary Cooper had on her son, and this was a big step in a very messy direction. "Sheldon, you don't have to do anything, I'm sure you'll be alright by yourself while you decide what you're going to do, I know you can afford it… and you _definitely _do not have to marry Amy…"

Sheldon continued to stare at his tray, overwhelmed by the information he was receiving. He huffed, exasperated. "Leonard, I _do _want Amy to live with me, I'm just… weighing up my options."

"Well, that's great!" Leonard said brightly, with a hint of nerves in his voice. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen, right?"

The question rang in Sheldon's ears, raising a myriad of conflicting reasons. _The worst that can happen… you could lose her._ Could he risk it?

"Yes," he said out loud, nodding to himself, "you know what? I'm going to tell her she can move in with me. Who cares about marriage, who cares about a Roommate Agreement… I want Amy to live with me and that is that."

Standing, he left his lunch and his friends and rushed back to his office, grasping for his phone. Dialing her number, he smiled as she answered the phone with a friendly 'hello'.

"Amy, can you come to my apartment tonight? Say, six o'clock? I need to talk to you."

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Amy gathered her handbag and hung up her lab coat for the day, switching the lights off and heading down the hallway. After a long lunch with Bernadette and Raj, and a busy afternoon working, she was exhausted, and looking forward to getting home, having a shower and heading back over to Sheldon's for the night.<p>

The night sky was beginning to set in, and she yawned as she passed through the parking lots, wandering over to her car. Juggling her bag in one hand, she fished around for her car keys, unlocking the vehicle and slipping into the driver's seat. She headed off into the peak hour traffic, mulling over the events of the day.

Sheldon had called her earlier that afternoon, demanding that she come over that evening as he needed to talk to her. She hoped desperately that it was about their living arrangements, and that it would all work out, however couldn't help but feel worried that it could be something more. Her conversation with Bernadette and Raj still lingered in her mind, and the thought made her heard race with fear and excitement – could she handle such a question? What would she say?

_Yes. _She thought, and smiled. If it did come down to that, and she was sure it wouldn't, of course she would say yes. Who else would she rather spend her life with?

"Yes…" She tried, rolling the word on her tongue. "Yeees…"

The stupidity of her solo conversation made her chuckle and she shook her head. It was all Raj and Bernadette's fault, for planting the idea in her head at all. Sheldon had only just discovered his enjoyment for physical affection; surely he wouldn't propose marriage too?

"Stop it, Fowler," she chastised, intent that she would steer her thoughts away from the entire topic. Surprisingly, the traffic was not too bad, and before long, she was making her way up the stairs to her apartment, letting herself in.

It was five-thirty, just enough time for her to shower, pack an overnight bag and make it over to Sheldon's by six. Stripping off her work clothes, she stepped under the shower quickly, making sure everything was just so for the night ahead. Once out, she wrapped her hair in a towel and continued on to pack a bag.

Opening her drawers, a slinky, deep purple garment caught her eye; a lacy number Penny had leant her when she had first learned that she was now intimate with Sheldon. Amy felt herself giggle as she picked up the racy negligee, eyeing it curiously. _Which was is the front…?_

Shaking her head, she threw it into the open bag on her bed and quickly dressed, cautious of the time. Unwrapping her hair from the towel, she let it hang limply around her shoulders in wet tendrils. It would have to dry on the way.

She slung the overnight bag over her shoulder and headed for the door, keys in hand. As she reached for the doorknob, she was shocked as a tiny knock sounded on the other side. Frowning, she swung it open and came face to face with one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen – tall, slim, with thick waves of brown hair and a smile that could kill.

"You must be Amy – hi, I'm Missy, Sheldon's sister."


	28. Chapter 28

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Right – here's chapter 28! Hooray! This WAS intended to be uploaded late last week, but who left their USB in the computer at work again? Yep, yours truly. AND she thought she'd lost it and almost had a heart attack – so be thankful I'm even alive! Anyway – once again, PLEASE be aware of the rating, as it is rated M for a reason. Read, review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 28**

"You must be Amy – hi, I'm Missy, Sheldon's sister."

Amy stared, mouth agape, at the slender form that was Missy Cooper; the other half to Sheldon's original whole. Her dainty, soft Texan accent echoed in Amy's ears, and she drew her jaw up tightly, giving the southern bell a tight-lipped smile. "Hello…"

Missy flashed her perfect, coy smile, dimples forming gently on her bronzed cheeks. "So sorry to arrive unannounced – may I come in?"

Remembering herself, Amy shuffled to the side with an awkward smile, and Missy stepped inside. "Sure…"

"Shelly gave me your address… well, he didn't as much give it to me as I tricked him into giving it to me – you know him; thinks he's such a genius but I know little ways of getting what I want out of him…" Missy took a seat on Amy's couch, sitting tall and crossing one long leg over the other, perfectly polished black high heel pointing in her direction. She smiled again; that dazzling smile. "Oh, honey, I can see why you're just perfect for our little Shelly…"

Amy tilted her head, confused, and made her way across to the couch. She hesitated, twisting toward the kitchen. "Um… would you like a drink?"

Missy waved her hand dismissively and then rubbed the spot beside her. "No, no - thank you. I am just ever-so curious to meet the young woman that has my twin brother in such a little tiz!"

Amy edged her way around to the couch and sat beside her tentatively. "A tiz?"

Turning to her slightly, Missy's bright blue eyes pierced through her. Sheldon's eyes. "Shelly called me this morning in quite a state – telling me that the two of you were considering moving in together and that he's distressed about what our mother would say if you weren't married." Her bright smile turned into a cheeky smirk and she poked Amy in the arm. "I never thought I'd see the day when Shelly fell in love with a woman! You must be quite something!"

Nervously, Amy smiled and tugged her wet hair away from her collar, twisting it around into the crook of her neck. "Oh, I don't know about that…"

"Nonsense! Now, I knew from what my mother had told me that Shelly was involved with a young lady, but she had assured me that the two of you were just friendly… but with the way he's talking about you I'd say you're a lot more than just 'friendly'…" Missy smiled at her suggestively, giving her a tiny nod.

Amy felt her cheeks grow warm and she bit her lip. "I… well… um…"

Missy took a deep, short breath and leveled with her. "Now – I must say that when Shelly called me earlier I was a little concerned, and I've been due for a trip to California for quite some time, so I skipped right on over on the first train. He says that you suggested that you move into his apartment, is that correct?"

"Yes –" Amy began, but was quickly cut short.

"And there's been no talk of marriage or any kind of proposal?"

"No, but –"

Missy mulled over it, pouting her bottom lip slightly. "Our mother is quite the… church goer. She would always want the very best for Sheldon, and it would kill her to know that the two of you are living in sin –"

Amy's breath caught and she felt herself turn even redder. "Oh, no we're not –"

The tall brunette drew her eyebrows up at Amy skeptically and smirked. "Amy, I could hear the change in my brother's voice over the phone, let alone in the flesh; don't you try and tell me you haven't." She shook her head lightly, looking Amy in the eye. "And what a miracle that is… my mother's been praying for him…"

Rolling her eyes with a smirk, Missy switched one slender leg across the other and her gaze became serious. "But what I need to know is that you're not going to up and leave our Shelly; he just wouldn't be able to handle such a big change only for you to leave…"

Amy shook her head adamantly, giving Missy a lop-sided smile. "No, never – I want to be with him, always –"

"Good," Missy said, dimples returning in a warm smile, "I like you, Amy, and I tip my hat to you for being able to be so patient with that boy. Now, I think that our mother may have a little problem with the two of you living together without a wedding – heck, you should have heard the uproar when I moved in with my ex, it was a nightmare!"

Breathing a sigh of relief at Missy's affirmations, Amy leant back, thinking hard. "Okay… well, what should we do?"

"Well," Missy began, sighing, "I may have let it slip to Mom that Shelly is thinking of having you move in with him… so blatantly lying is out of the question…"

Amy frowned. It seemed ridiculous that his mother had such a huge bearing over a decision that was ultimately up to him. Surely she couldn't just be happy for him and move on?

Lost deep in thought, Amy jumped when Missy stood up beside her, flattening her short royal blue dress and tousling her hair. "Come on, we need to go pay Shelly a visit, and hatch a plan that will fool my mother…"

Scrambling to keep up with her, Amy grasped her bag and the two of them headed for the door, over to Sheldon's apartment.

* * *

><p>Pressing the phone against his ear roughly, Sheldon sighed. "No, Mom, I haven't forgotten about sending Uncle Larry a birthday card… though I do not see the point considering I haven't spoken to him in over ten years…"<p>

Smoothing out the sheets of his bedspread, his mother's voice rang in his ear and he was forced to turn the volume down. "Well sweetie, he asks about you all the time, it's the right thing to do and you know it." She paused, and Sheldon hoped desperately that she would decide to wrap up their conversation. No such luck. "You know who else asks about you all the time? Your darling twin sister, Missy. Have you spoken to her recently?"

Sheldon stilled, straightening up from arranging his bed and shuffled his weight onto his hip. His mother's voice was shrill, sharp, and he didn't like it. "I have not. Why do you ask?"

There was a moment's silence before Mary Cooper's voice resonated through the phone line once again. "Well, that is quite interesting – she called me just this morning and said that the two of you had a lovely chat…"

Slapping his hand to his forehead, Sheldon pursed his lips. "Oh, yes, that was weeks ago –"

"Sheldon Cooper don't you lie to me!" She snapped on the other end, and he grimaced. "Missy said she spoke to you this morning, and she had some _very_ interesting news to share with me…"

Sheldon pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing precisely where the conversation was going. He checked his watch; almost six o'clock… Amy would arrive at any moment and he had made a reservation at a local restaurant. "Did she now?"

"Yes, she did. She told me that you and Amy are thinking about moving in together – is this true?" She replied, voice noticeably prickly.

Huffing, he rose from the bed and swung open the door, pacing down the hallway toward the kitchen. "Dammit, Missy…"

"_Excuse me_, Sheldon, but I will not have you cussing at your sister –" Her voice diminished into the distance as he tucked the phone between his shoulder and his cheek, waving to Penny and Leonard who were entangled on the couch. "…now, you tell me this instant – is it true?"

Leonard grinned at him from across the room, knowing precisely who was on the phone from the look on his face and the slump of his shoulders. Sheldon rolled his eyes and leant against the island bench, clenching his jaw. "Yes, it is true."

There was another moment of silence before she made a small huffing noise. "Shelly, I may have spoken to you about the advantages of becoming intimate with a woman, but you _know_ that I do not condone you and your little girlfriend living under the same roof without first being married in the eyes of the Lord. Now –"

Sheldon sighed and tipped his head back in frustration; this was all he needed. Penny looked across at him from the couch, concerned, and spoke quietly to him. "Everything okay?"

Nodding, he rolled his eyes again. His mother was still rambling on the other end. "It is completely inappropriate for the two of you to live together; living in sin –"

There was a knock at the door and Sheldon huffed, knowing it would be Amy. Leonard jumped up off the couch and swung open the door, mumbling a surprised 'hello' as the visitors entered. A step behind his girlfriend was his sister, beaming from ear to ear, and he glared at her from across the room. "_You!" _He whispered, pointing at her.

"- oh, and don't you tell me that the two of you are _already _living in sin, imagine what would be said –"

Missy waved at him and cocked her head as he continued to scowl. "Is that Mom?"

He pressed a hand against the mouthpiece and glowered at her. "Yes. You told her?"

"- it is just completely irresponsible – imagine if Amy fell pregnant, and the two of you were not married –"

As Mary's voice continued to echo on the other end, Missy crossed the room to stand across from her twin, giving him an apologetic look. "Sorry," she said quietly, "it sort of slipped out…"

Sheldon widened his eyes at her. "'Slipped out?' Are you kidding – please, Mom, just leave it –"

"- when Missy told me I just couldn't believe it; my _Shelly_ –"

"Just tell her this – tell her that you are going to propose to Amy and will marry without a ceremony, that might get her off your back –" Missy suggested quietly, and Sheldon closed his eyes in protest. This was too much.

"- it simply will not do – you will marry Amy and that is final –"

"Sheldon, just tell her that - we'll figure out the rest later –"

The front door swung open once again, and Bernadette, Howard and Raj entered, pizza boxes in hand. Raj spotted Missy first and lunged for Howard's ear, whispering and pointing. Howard's eyes flew over to her and the pair grinned, waving across at her. "Missy – hi –"

Penny, who was up out of her chair and standing beside Amy, hushed them. "Shhh! Major family drama going on right here…"

Bernadette placed the boxes onto the coffee table and smiled at Missy, who was giving the remainder of the group a quick wave and a blinding smile. "Is this Sheldon's sister?"

"Yeah, Missy…" Penny said quietly, "and Sheldon's mom's on the phone; she found out that Sheldon and Amy are thinking of moving in together… and she's not happy…"

Frowning, Bernadette set her hands on her hips and shot a look at Sheldon. "Sheldon, tell your mother that it's your decision, and she'll just have to respect it…"

Missy nodded in agreement, leaning over the counter to her brother. "I agree, but if you just tell her that you're planning on proposing you can get her to leave you alone -"

"- it simply will not do – you will marry Amy and that is final –"

"Sheldon – what are you waiting for? Just tell her and be done with it –"

Eyes flying open, he sought out Amy, finding her still standing in the doorway, hair in gentle waves around her shoulders with his favourite mustard dress on, looking as lost as he felt. Their gazes locked and he breathed deeply, pulling his phone away from his ear, switching it across to speaker and dumping it roughly on the counter.

Crossing the room, he kissed her, hard, pouring every ounce of frustration into her. He felt her gasp for air and melt against him, and he pulled away, dragging her across the room with him. Loudly, so everyone could hear him - his mother included – he spoke. "Amy and I will be moving in together, whether you like it or not."

Gripping Amy's hand, he gulped as the room turned quiet, bickering ceasing instantly. "I love her," he said steadily, and felt her tense beside him, "and one day I most likely will make our relationship official in the eyes of the _law_ in the form of a marriage, but for now I just want Amy here with me, and that is _my_ decision."

Bernadette was beaming at the couple from the couch, next to an equally happy Penny, who sent Leonard a look of pure elation. Missy smiled at him brightly, leaning a hip against the bench top. The room was otherwise silent, and Sheldon braced himself for more harsh words from the phone resting in his kitchen.

Amy stepped behind him and laced her fingers through his own, giving them a gentle squeeze. Moments passed before Mary spoke, and Sheldon felt his heart race in his chest. "Sheldon, kindly take me off speaker phone, please."

He scooped up the phone from the counter and held it to his ear, prepared for an argument. Before he could begin to defend his proclamation, Mary spoke softly. "You really do love this girl, don't you Shelly?"

Moving into the kitchen, back to his friends, he exhaled deeply. "Yes."

There was yet another long pause, and Sheldon could only hear the faint whisper of his mother's breathing on the line. "Sheldon, I have raised you from just a tiny child; a brilliant child, but a child at that. You have grown more in this last year than you have in your entire life, and never in all of my years have I seen you so happy."

Sheldon swallowed, uncertain of where his mother was going with the conversation. "Thanks Mom but –"

"Hush, I am not finished!" She snapped, and then cleared her throat. "If Amy is the one bringing you this happiness then who am I to take that away? The Lord has bestowed you with a love that so many of us pine for, and if living with her is what makes you happy then I am not going to stop you."

Every breath of air that Sheldon was holding in his lungs, every measure of stress that was weighing down on his shoulders, seemed to disappear at his mother's words. He sighed and closed his eyes, relieved. "Good, thank you…"

Mary laughed lightly. "Oh, Shelly, I've never heard you stand up for yourself like you did just now. You're stubborn, just like your daddy was…"

Sheldon smirked, equally proud of his actions. He craned his neck around to look at his friends and sister, who were huddled around the coffee table digging in to the pizza. Amy's eyes met his own and she smiled, and he smiled back.

"Now, Shelly – don't you go thinking that just because I've given you my blessing it means that the two of you can just go on living unwed; I want to see you all dolled up in a nice suit and marrying that young woman, sooner rather than later!" His mother continued.

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "I'll work on it Mom…"

There was another moment of silence before Mary sighed. "Alright then, Shelly-bean, I'll let you go. You kids act responsibly – don't think I won't come over there…"

"Alright, Mom… talk to you later."

Disconnecting the call, Sheldon tipped his head back and stretched it from one side to the other, huffing. What an incredibly stressful evening.

"How'd ya go?" Howard called from his spot on the floor, mouth stuffed with pizza.

Sheldon sauntered back across to the living area, glaring at Raj who was sitting in his spot, a low-carb beer in hand as he leered across at Missy suggestively. "Good. Get out of my spot."

Raj frowned and moved, pulling over a desk chair and parking it on the other side of Missy. She smiled at him sweetly and then turned to frown at Sheldon. "Shelly, you're so rude –"

"So, what did your mother say?" Leonard cut in, anxious to avoid a sibling argument.

Settling into his spot and reaching for a piece of pizza, Sheldon swayed his shoulders proudly. "She said that if living with Amy makes me happy then I should do it."

"Really?" Missy asked, eyebrows raised skeptically.

"_Does _it make you happy?" Amy asked in a tiny voice beside him, fiddling with the edge of her napkin.

Sheldon turned to her slightly, realizing that he still had not formally responded to her proposition. "It does. And in answer to your proposal, yes, I would love for you to move in with me. Subject to you successfully passing the tenant criteria…"

Leonard groaned and slapped a hand to his head. "Have fun with that one, Amy…"

"Come now, Leonard," Sheldon began with a smirk, "you don't _really _think that I'd give Amy the same criteria that I gave you, do you?"

Amy grinned and poked her tongue out at Leonard playfully, and he gave her a cynical smile. "Oh, and does she get a Roommate Agreement too, then?"

Sheldon tilted his head from side to side indecisively. "There will be some kind of arrangement met… perhaps an amalgamation of the Relationship and Roommate Agreements…"

On the floor, resting against Bernadette's legs, Howard chuckled to himself. "An arrangement indeed…"

Bernadette swatted his head and he yelped. "Well, congratulations Amy and Sheldon, and Leonard and Penny, too!"

Penny smiled, taking another bite of her pizza and swinging on her desk chair. "Thank you!"

Missy, who was leaning in toward Raj in the old armchair, giving him a sweet smile, twisted her neck to look between Amy and Leonard. "So, when are you going to move?"

"Well, I can really move any time, given the situation –" Leonard began, but was quickly interrupted by Sheldon.

"_Technically_, Leonard," he started, "you must provide me with a month's warning in advance of the termination of our Roommate Agreement –"

"Aw, Sheldon, come on –"

"However," he cut in loudly, "given the extraneous circumstances, I suppose I could wave the requirement…"

Missy stared at him blankly, and then gave him a patronizing smile. "And you, Amy?"

Amy placed her plate down and glanced at Sheldon. "Well, fortunately, I am able to cancel my contract at any time, so it's all up to Sheldon and Leonard from here…"

"How exciting," Bernadette gushed next to Amy, "you'll be able to spruce this place up a little; it could do with a feminine touch…"

"There will be no 'sprucing', thank you," Sheldon said, folding his arms over his chest, "and Amy and I will discuss the precise moving date, once all formalities have been completed and signed off on."

Missy sighed and cupped her cheek in her hand, silver bangles jangling. "Well, Shelly, I must say – I'm in a little bit of a pickle; it seems that you don't have enough space to have me stay, and it's far too late to try a hotel…"

"That's what happens when you arrive unannounced…" Sheldon grumbled, narrowing his eyes at his twin.

"You can stay at my place?" Raj said loudly, flashing a huge grin. "I have plenty of room!"

"No, she most certainly cannot –"

"That would be just lovely, sugar!" Missy said, smiling at Raj, a hint of suggestion in her smirk. "Thank you!"

Raj smiled haughtily at Sheldon and took a sip of his beer. "Hear that… 'sugar'…"

Bernadette gave him a look. "Raj, do you think that's such a wise idea… you've had a pretty interesting day as it is… hugged quite a few women already…"

"Who did he hug?" Howard laughed, looking over at his best friend.

"Well, me, for one, and Amy…" Bernadette replied, marking them off on her fingers.

Sheldon snapped his neck back around to Raj and raised an eyebrow. "Did he now?"

"It's alright, Sheldon," Amy said, patting his knee gently, "he was comforting me…"

"Why, were you hurt? Did he offer you a hot beverage?" Sheldon asked, clearly concerned.

Amy chuckled. "No, I was just worried about whether you wanted me to live with you… Raj was just trying to make me feel better..."

"She was down…" Raj said and nodded, still slightly haughty.

Feeling his chest tighten, Sheldon glared and pulled his shoulders back. "Your phony concern for _my _girlfriend no longer deceives me; I now know the allure of this vixen, and am well aware that it is tempting to a simple man such as yourself –"

"Sheldon…" Missy growled, tone deadly. "That is most certainly enough…"

Beside him, Amy bit down a smirk; the territorial instinct was rearing its ugly head…

Sheldon, cut short, glared across at Raj. "Stay away from my girlfriend _and _my sister."

"Shelly, do you remember what happened last time we spoke about my selection of men?" Missy asked, shooting him a reproachful look.

He winced and nodded. "Yes…"

She tossed her brown hair back over her shoulder and smiled demurely once again. "Well then you should know _not_ to get involved in my business; I am a grown woman and the choice is my own."

Sighing, Sheldon sank lower into his spot and grumbled. "How much longer are you going to stay?"

Missy smiled, batting her eyelashes at Raj. "Oh, I don't know… all depends on how my accommodation works out I guess…"

"Oh, you can stay as long as you like –"

"Dr. Koothrappali –"

Standing, Missy cleared her throat and grasped for Raj's hand. "Come now, Rajesh, I am awfully tired after a long day's travel and would just love to see your apartment…"

Scrambling to his feet, Raj tossed his napkin down onto his plate and followed Missy toward the door. The tall, slender waitress slung her handbag over her shoulder and opened the door. "Goodnight, everyone – see you tomorrow!"

There was a chorus of farewells, bar Sheldon who was still sulking. Raj began to pull the door shut, and then stuck his head back through the crack to give the group a beaming thumbs-up.

Howard shook his head, crossing his skinny legs. "That is one mysterious little oriental dude…"

Bernadette smiled and stroked his head tenderly. "Come on, Howie, we'd better get going if we're going to make it to your mother's for supper…"

"Naw… do we have to?" Howard whined, picking himself up off the floor.

"You're the one who made this deal with her, not me… now come on…" Bernadette replied, tugging her coat over her narrow shoulders.

Sighing, Penny scooped the plates up and took them across to the kitchen and yawned loudly. "Well, I'm going to call it a night, too… after working an eight hour shift I am well and truly ready for some beauty sleep." She stacked the dishwasher and turned back to Leonard, who was now sprawled out in the previously vacant armchair. "You coming, roomie?"

Leonard grinned at her, leaping out of his seat. "Yep!

Before long, the apartment was near empty, and Amy glanced across at her boyfriend, who still seemed to be sulking about something. "Sheldon, what's wrong?"

He huffed, and stared intently at the fair skin of her knee. Abruptly, he made eye contact with her and spoke. "Did you enjoy that hug Raj gave you?"

Tilting her head, Amy frowned. "No, well, yes… it was lovely that he would even think to comfort me in my time of need…"

Sheldon diverted his eyes back to her knee; now trailing his fingers across the bone of her kneecap and higher up her thigh. "You are _mine_."

"Sheldon," Amy said softly, a little exasperated, "yes, I am _yours,_ but it's okay for a friend to want to give me a hug –"

"Not a male friend…" He grumbled, relaxing his hand across the breadth of her thigh, thumb stroking it absently.

Raising an eyebrow, Amy sighed and swiveled to face him, kneeling on the couch next to him. Gently, she guided his face toward her own with the tip of her finger. "Sheldon, you are the only man I want, no one else… I know now that we've begun having sex you're going to feel the instinctual need to protect what is yours, but you have got to trust me, too…"

His vibrant blue eyes trailed up along her torso, lingering at her chest and neck, and he gave her a tiny nod. "It's not you I don't trust, it's them…"

"Stop." She said firmly, and then gave him a smile. "So, Dr. Cooper… tell me more about this tenant criteria I have to pass in order to qualify as a suitable roommate…"

Hearing his formal title on her luscious lips made Sheldon's head snap up, a tingling sensation spreading between his legs. Now _that_ was most definitely something he had fantasized about before…

Looking at her with curiosity, he inhaled deeply. "Say that again…"

For a split second, Amy was uncertain as to what he was referring, but the look on his face said it all. Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself squirming with excitement. "Dr. Cooper…"

The look of pure seduction and desperation was rampant in her emerald eyes, and Sheldon resisted the temptation to nail her to the couch. Biting his lower lip gently, he traced his long fingers down the buttons of her shirt; sheer and loose fitting, tucked into her skirt. "Well… I suppose we could review the criteria now…"

In one swift movement, he pinned her to the couch, flat on her back with her arms above her head, held in place with a single hand. Hovering over her, he slid the fabric of her skirt up her thighs and parted her legs, pressing her knees slightly toward her chest. "Question one… should Dr. Cooper require immediate assistance in the way of relief or entertainment, would you instantly comply?"

Looking up at him, wide-eyed and breathing heavy, Amy stuttered a response. "Yes…"

Spreading her thighs even further, he stared unabashedly at the sheer pink panties she had slipped on before leaving home. Firmly, he stroked his thumb along the outside of the lace, and Amy whimpered, sure she was seeing stars. "Question two… should Dr. Cooper provide you with a command or request, would you obey him?"

"Yes…" Amy gasped, uncertain now if she was agreeing or simply crying out in pleasure. How did he know just how to… _oh God…_

Sheldon hooked a finger under the flimsy fabric and dragged it teasingly along her legs, tossing it aside carelessly. In the half-light of the living room, he watched as her cheeks flushed red; she was completely on display to his wandering eyes, and he didn't care. Licking his lips lightly, he continued, running a finger along her wet flesh. "Question three… should Dr. Cooper have a lesson for you, will you be sure to be in attendance?"

Slipping his finger roughly inside her, she arched her back and moaned once again. "Yes…"

"And," he said hoarsely, continuing to touch her, "should Dr. Cooper decide that you have misbehaved during this lesson, will you accept his form of punishment?"

_Oh my God_. Amy wriggled beneath him, desperate to pounce, but he held her firmly and continued his exploration. When he received no immediate response, he withdrew his hand. "Yes, yes, of course!"

Panting and eyes full of unmistakable lust, Sheldon stared down at the writhing woman beneath him. She looked wild; chest heaving and hair splayed across the leather, begging him. Tortuously slowly, he bent his neck between her legs, and heard her gasp loudly in shock. He grinned, and kissed the soft skin of her inner thigh, inches above her mound.

"Sheldon, _please…_" Amy said softly, and he pushed away, releasing his grip on her hands and sat back to stare at her, a smirk on his face.

Untangling herself, drawing her knees together, she opened and closed her mouth like a fish. "Sheldon… that's not – you can't –"

He stood and made his way across to the kitchen, the strain in his navy pants extremely visible. Flicking on the tap, he ran his hands under the water, and chuckled as she continued to mumble and remove herself from the couch. "What did you call me, Miss Fowler?"

Amy, who was now sitting on the edge of the couch, flushed and half dressed, shot her head up to look at the back of her boyfriend. "Sheldon… oh." Her mistake instantly became apparent, and she pouted. Perhaps she could redeem herself…

Sliding off the couch, she made her way over to him and snuck her hands around his hips, spinning him gently to face her. He eyed her with that same smirk, resting the palms of his hands against the counter. "Oh?"

Heart thumping once again, she reached for the top button of her blouse and began to undo them, one by one. "My apologies, Dr. Cooper… is there any way I can possibly repay you…?"

His eyes were lingering once again on her cleavage and fair décolletage, which was now exposed – shirt hanging open and skirt tugged high around her small waist. Reaching out a hand, he outlined the gap between her breasts, and felt his erection twitch, making him groan. "There may be…"

She inched closer to him, leaning her weight against his body, pressing against his firm pants. He had been so damn close to returning the favour… would he have really followed through? Smiling coyly, she dipped her hand beneath the layers of his tops and dragged her nails along his hipbone, something that was proving to excite him further.

A guttural groan passed through his lips and he ran a hand up through Amy's hair, grabbing a fist full gently. "Bedroom, now."

Before she knew it, Amy was flat on her back on top of Sheldon's Star Trek sheets, once again pinned down with his lips moving roughly against hers. The full weight of him bore down on her, and he tightened his grip on her hands, holding her down. Trailing his lips along his neck and down to her chest, Amy gasped for air. "Dr. Cooper…"

His eyes flew up to hers, mouth slightly open and hair a tousled mess. The sight left her breath taken, and yearning for more. Was this really a _fantasy_ of Sheldon's?

Pulling his shirts over his head in one motion, he groped for the clasp of her bra beneath her and tore it away, diving in to kiss her chest. Amy rolled her hips below him, tilting them up to grind against him. Instinctually, he bit the very tip of her nipple, and Amy cried out loudly, tossing her head back. He could feel himself losing control…

Scooting backwards, Sheldon tugged off his pants and briefs one handed, and Amy stared at him in awe, every inch of him ready. "_Please _Dr. Cooper…"

Shuddering at her pleas, he crawled back over her, breathing heavily. Her skirt was bundled around her waist now, and he could feel their skin touching, tormenting him. The room grew silent; all but their puffs of air between them, and Sheldon moved his hips forward at a tedious pace.

Amy let out a frustrated moan from underneath him. "_Please…_"

He couldn't control himself any longer, the call of his fantasy taking over his mind, and he delved into her, the room spinning around him. Thrust after thrust, he grunted, and pressed her harder against the covers, arms still pinned above her head. Peering past the near blinding pleasure, he looked down at her, marveling at her wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

Unable to stare at her any longer, he let go of her wrists and pulled away from her, kneeling in front of her. His heart raced with anxiety and excitement as he eyed her carefully. "Get on your hands and knees…" He said quietly, voice deep with authority.

Amy's jaw dropped in utter surprise and within seconds she obeyed, and he drew his eyes across the fair skin of her shoulder blades, the curve of her spine. How did she make him feel so comfortable, so _okay_ with his risqué wishes?

Tossing her long brown hair back, she glanced over her shoulder at him and bit her lip nervously. That was all it took, and within the first few tiny strokes of entering her he let go, his release shaking him to the core as he dug his fingers into her hips.

Collapsing beside her, he drew her into his arms, for the first time truly not caring about the stickiness or the sweat or the potential germs. She curled into the crook of his neck, safe. "Well, Dr. Cooper… did I pass the tenant criteria?"

Sheldon chuckled lightly and kissed her forehead, feeling tiredness hit him in a wave. "Oh yes…"


	29. Chapter 29

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I have returned! My apologies about the delay on this chapter, I know it has been more than a week, unfortunately I have had some dramas to attend to. I will be sure to try and get the next chapter to you in the next few days to make it up to you all don't worry! Hope you enjoy it, please remember to READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 29**

Rolling over onto his side, Sheldon drew a long arm across his face and squinted at the bright overcast daylight streaming into his bedroom window. Cracking his eyes open a little wider, he glanced at his alarm clock, which was flashing well past nine o'clock, and he groaned. Had he really overslept again?

Sitting up slowly, he shivered as the covers fell away and the irregularly cool temperature of the apartment hit his bare chest. He frowned and glanced down at his legs; his red plaid pajama pants still in place. Shaking his head lightly, he glanced over at the empty spot beside him, where his Siren-like bedfellow had laid beside him the entire evening. He ran a hand across the navy sheets, and bit his lip. The spot was still warm, and smelt of her… perhaps she hadn't left…

A swarm of memories came rushing back to him, and he felt his cheeks warm at the recollection of the night before… her moving against him, with him, begging for more. Never had he expected, even in his most wild of fantasies, that he could feel so utterly electrified at the hands of a woman…

Suddenly the distinct scent of salty bacon struck his nostrils, and he flung the covers back, grumbling lightly. First the altered thermostat, and now this? It was clearly oatmeal day…

Without reaching for a shirt, Sheldon marched down the hallway and rounded the corner, prepared to chastise the individual interrupting his breakfast routine. Instead, he found himself at a loss for words, staring at the back of his girlfriend, donning nothing but his red plaid pajama shirt. Fair, slender legs graced his gaze, his shirt barely covering her bottom, and he cocked his head, mesmerized. Unaware of his lingering presence, Amy shifted her weight onto her opposing hip and placed her hand on her waist, pushing what could be assumed was breakfast around a hot, crackling pan with the other.

Sheldon tore his eyes away and cleared his throat. "Amy Farrah Fowler, exactly _what_ are you doing?"

The neurobiologist spun around in surprise, messy ponytail bobbing with her. A hand against her chest, she smiled and breathed heavily. "Good morning!" Her eyes trailed over his naked torso and she tilted her head, eyebrow raised. "You're not wearing a shirt?"

Rolling his eyes, Sheldon approached the island bench and took a seat, folding his arms across his bare chest. "Well, thank you for stating the obvious, and my reason for not wearing a shirt is currently being worn by you."

Amy swished the hissing food around in the pan and leant against the counter. "I thought you might like it," she replied with a pout, "and couldn't you have just worn another shirt?"

"Another shirt?" Sheldon parroted. "These are my Saturday pajamas, Amy, you know that… and to select a non-matching shirt would completely disrupt my nightwear rotation. Speaking of disruption – was it you that altered the thermostat to this frosty temperature?"

Turning her back to him once again, she sighed and switched the heat down on the stove. "Sheldon, it was very unpleasant in here this morning when I woke, so I turned the temperature down slightly –"

Sheldon groaned, cutting her off. "Turned down the temperature? Oh dear… Amy, as my future roommate, I have to advise you that as per the agreement it is strictly prohibited to alter the thermostat without first consulting –"

"What agreement?" Amy asked, folding her arms across her own plaid-clad chest, wooden spoon sticking out from under her arm. "I have not signed off on any sort of contract, and nor do I intend on doing so, we will have to come to some kind of arrangement as a couple –"

"This was already clarified last night, Amy; yes, I am aware that there will need to be an amalgamation between the currently standing Relationship Agreement and the newly formed Roommate Agreement, however –"

"Sheldon," she interrupted with a huff, bringing the hot pan across to the counter, "what am I to you?"

The tall physicist frowned and furrowed his brow. "What kind of question is that? You are, of course, my girlfriend –"

"If I am your 'girlfriend' then why do I require a 'roommate' agreement? Could we not settle on some form of agreement that simply outlines that the two of us will live together in your apartment as a couple? Besides, our Relationship Agreement doesn't hold any particular value now that we are having sex…" Amy replied, sliding the cooked breakfast off the pan and onto two plates.

"Doesn't hold any value? That document has been signed by both of us, stating that you are my girlfriend and I am your boyfriend; it is a guarantee that you aren't going to go running off with some hippie…" He trailed off as she placed the plate down in front of him. "And what is this?"

"Breakfast," she replied shortly, "and most normal couples just _trust_ one another, Sheldon, they don't require a binding contract in order to manage a lasting relationship –"

Sheldon was still stuck at breakfast. "Amy, it's oatmeal day –"

"Yes, but I thought you might like it if your girlfriend cooked for you –"

"I can't eat bacon and eggs on oatmeal day, it will throw out the entire schedule and no doubt my digestive system – Amy, what are you doing, I -"

Amy snatched the plate out from under his nose and scraped it into the bin, and then threw him the box of oatmeal aggressively. "Fine."

Sheldon caught the box abruptly, surprised by her sudden hostility. Stalking past him, she plopped into the worn armchair with her plate of food and ate silently, staring blankly at the coffee table. He watched her closely for a moment, hugging the box to his chest. Guilt began to creep up on him, and he sighed, slipping off the chair to stand beside her. "Amy, that's not your spot…"

Her green eyes glowered up at him and she shoveled another fork-full of food into her mouth. Huffing, he took the plate from her, placed it on the coffee table and scooped her up, emitting a loud screech from Amy, and deposited her back down in her 'spot' right beside his own. She landed awkwardly, and adjusted her glasses, and glared. "Sheldon, what the hell –"

He cut her off with a gentle kiss, kneeling down to catch her lips with his. Instantly, he felt himself fall into her, and knew he had done the wrong thing. Breaking away, she looked at him with confused eyes, and he exhaled loudly. "I'm sorry… that was rude of me, I should have accepted your breakfast graciously. Will you forgive me?"

Amy eyed him carefully, her gaze travelling from his lips, across his shoulders and along his chest. "Well, that depends…"

"On…?" Sheldon coaxed.

"On whether you will waive the need for a Roommate Agreement." She said, biting down a small smile.

Sheldon shifted to take a seat beside her, breathing deeply. "Amy," he began weakly, "without a Roommate Agreement this apartment will surely turn to turmoil; it lays the foundations for all schedules, rules, processes… without it, what do we have? A recipe for complete disaster, that's what –"

Crossing one slim leg over the other, she looked at him. "Sheldon…"

Pursing his lips, Sheldon drew his eyes tightly shut. Signing that agreement was logical, safe; it protected both parties and provided him with security. But he was secure, and he was safe, right there with Amy. What more could he want?

Their conversation was haphazardly interrupted by the apartment door creaking open, revealing a disheveled yet pleased looking Leonard. "Hey guys, how are – Amy, are you wearing Sheldon's shirt?"

Tilting his head, jacket slung lazily over his arm, Leonard frowned at her. Sheldon followed his stare, and glared, snatching at a blanket draped over the couch and spreading it across his girlfriend's all-too-bare legs. "Yes, she is, and I would appreciate it if you would avert your gaze elsewhere."

Leonard chuckled and shook his head, stalking past the couple and into the kitchen. Throwing his jacket onto the counter, he opened the fridge and pulled out an apple, crunching through the skin. He frowned and scrunched his nose. "Did someone cook bacon and eggs? On oatmeal day? And is it cold in here?"

Amy slapped a hand to her forehead and tossed back the blanket, rushing over to the kitchen to tidy the dishes from breakfast. Huffing, Sheldon followed closely behind her, attempting to wrap the long checkered blanket around her hips. "Oh that was Amy – she was unaware that it was oatmeal day and turned the thermostat –"

Now at the sink, attempting to wash the greasy pan, Amy swatted his hands away. "Sheldon, stop! It's fine – I'm sure Leonard doesn't mind…"

Leonard grinned broadly, chin tilted upward haughtily. "Nope!"

Straightening, Sheldon glared at his smaller friend. "Fine." Folding the blanket neatly, he held it against his naked chest, suddenly self-conscious. "Why are you loitering, Leonard? It's making me awfully uncomfortable…"

"Well, actually, while I've got the two of you here…" Leonard began, "we need to decide on a moving date, and I was thinking that there's really no good reason why I shouldn't just start moving my stuff across to Penny's now…"

Amy, tea towel and frying pan in hand, nodded. "That would seem sensible…"

"Sensible?" Sheldon interrupted loudly. "How on earth is Leonard gradually moving his belongings across to Penny's in such an unruly, disorganized fashion at all 'sensible'? It will no doubt draw out the process across a number of weeks, and the apartment will be left in shambles; all matter of personal items tossed about with no allocated home… oh, it will be like living with a bunch of gypsies…"

"Sheldon, I'm not saying that I'll slowly move my stuff over to Penny's when I feel like it… I'm saying that given that we live across the hall from her apartment I might as well start now…" Leonard responded, somewhat irritably.

Sheldon looked distressed. "And what about the allocation of shared furniture? And time for arranging and cataloging what is yours and what is mine?"

Leonard shrugged and appeared indifferent. "Well… Penny has all the furniture we need at her place, and a good majority of the furniture over here is yours anyway… except for the couch…"

"The couch?" Sheldon said absently, blinking at him. "That's my spot…"

"And it can stay here; I'm sure the gang will all get together over here just like we do now anyway…" Leonard said quickly, and then took another bite of his apple.

Sheldon pondered this for a moment. "I suppose that would be acceptable… this is the most suitable apartment for small friendly gatherings… and it will be convenient for Amy and I…"

Amy, who was resting her hip against the island patiently, steered the conversation. "Alright… well _I _think that's a great idea, Leonard… when do you propose you start moving?"

"Well, I was thinking I could start today, Penny's at work and I –"

"_Today?_" Sheldon exclaimed. "You can't move _today, _we need to create an outline of what rooms are attended to first, a log of items in and items out –"

Leonard sighed at him. "Sheldon, it's _fine! _I will start moving this afternoon, with the intention of being done by next weekend, and that way my room is vacant for Amy to move in when she's ready…"

This seemed to stump Sheldon. "Your room?"

Both Amy and Leonard looked at him curiously, and he tipped his head to one side. Leonard frowned and eyed him apprehensively. "Yes… my room… you okay, buddy…?"

The tall physicist drew his eyebrows together and shook his head lightly. "If you'll excuse me I am going to go about my morning routine…" He raced past them, and passed Amy the blanket. "Use it."

Behind Leonard and Amy, the bathroom door closed and seconds later the sound of the shower splattering against the tub echoed down the hallway. Leonard looked at Amy, perplexed. "What in God's name was that about?"

"No idea," Amy replied, tossing the blanket onto the armchair, "he seemed particularly troubled at the mention of your room…"

Leonard took a seat at one of the bar stools. "He did… well, have you guys actually discussed where you're going to 'live'?"

Amy cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Are you going to move into my room, or are you going to share a room with Sheldon, like most couples do?" Leonard asked simply, resting his elbows on the bench top.

Amy exhaled loudly and looked down at her hands, wringing them together. "I don't know… I suppose now that we're sleeping together that would seem like the next logical step… but you know what Sheldon is like about his room…"

"Oh, yeah…" Leonard said knowingly, nodding his head. "I certainly do… but you need to talk to him about it, the two of you are a couple…"

Amy sighed. She had intended on discussing the move with him that very morning, over breakfast, but things were most certainly not going her way. "I intend to…" She trailed off, eager to change topics. A grin spread across her face. "And how are things going with the proposal?"

Leonard's face lit up and he pushed his glasses up his nose slightly. "They're going great! After we spoke the other day I have not been able to stop thinking about it… I think I've finally decided how I want to propose…"

"Oh?" Amy asked, smiling and lumping a sugar into her tea.

He took a deep breath and chewed on his lip nervously, speaking very quietly. "For our very first Valentine's Day together, years ago, I had planned to take Penny with me to Switzerland to see the CERN supercollider, but she got sick and couldn't go… oh and _someone _was intent on foiling our plans so he could go himself…" He glared in the direction of Sheldon's bedroom and Amy smirked. "Anyway, so I was thinking of maybe taking her over there and proposing…"

Across from him, Amy was beaming, and struggled to contain her excitement. "Oh Leonard, that is brilliant… although I am a little disappointed you won't be in the country at the time…"

"Yeah, I know… but she never got to go, and I would love to take her… and we could go skiing and eat fondue and curl up in front of the fire…" Leonard said dreamily, resting his head against his forearms.

"Sounds very romantic… so, what do you need my help wi-"

"Hey guys!" Came a familiar, bubbly voice from the doorway. The blonde had just swept through the door, and was untangling her scarf from around her neck.

Leonard spun around, almost toppling off his chair, and gave his girlfriend a huge, nervous smile. "Hey, Penny… I thought you were supposed to be at work until late…?"

She crossed the room to give him a peck on the cheek. "Yeah, I was, but they mixed up my shift and I got to go home early and –" She paused, frowning at Amy's bare legs. "Hey Ames… where're your pants?"

Amy tipped the remainder of her tea down the sink and rinsed the cup. "Hey bestie… Sheldon's wearing them… well, this_ is_ Sheldon's… I wasn't expecting company…"

Penny gave her an uncertain smile. "Okay…" She turned her attention to Leonard, who was looking a little green. "So now that I'm home we can start packing all of your stuff up – did you talk to Sheldon?"

"Oh, yeah, he was not impressed… but he'll have to deal with it…"

Amy nodded. "Speaking of which, I should check on him…" Without waiting for a response, she tip-toed down the hallway and creaked open Sheldon's door slightly. Inside, he was sitting on his bed, now wrapped in a dressing gown and reading a comic book. "Hey…"

"Hello…" He said quietly, stiffly, eyes fixed on his book.

She perched on the edge of his bed beside him and there was a moment of silence before either one of them spoke again. "Sheldon… is this about our living arrangements?"

Amy watched his eyes closely, which were quite clearly unfocused and certainly not reading. He exhaled loudly, lips pressed together in a firm line. "It's just that I didn't even think about where you would actually reside here… I suppose I had assumed that you would move into Leonard's room, but I know that it is customary for a couple to share a bedroom when they live under one roof…"

Trailing off, he closed the comic and placed it carefully on his nightstand. Amy sighed; he looked stressed and hesitant. "We don't have to do this…"

"No!" He said quickly, snapping out of his trance. "No… I want you to live with me… it's just a lot, and I keep thinking about moving all of my things and reorganizing… something is bound to get lost or broken…"

Amy stared at her hands, feeling her heart sink. She had known that this would be a challenge, and that it would test Sheldon's strength, but a part of her was certain that their newly found intimacy had helped him to release some of his strict control. Perhaps he just needed some gentle persuasion. "Sheldon, I don't have to live with you in your room… I can take Leonard's room, and we can setup all of my belongings in there, and I can just sleep with you. Nothing of yours has to be moved or touched or changed…"

Fiddling with the ties of his gown, Sheldon bit his lower lip and remained quiet, her words clunking around in his mind. After a few moments of silence, Amy spoke softly, feeling her heart sink from his lack of response. "Penny's arrived home early from work, and she's going to start helping Leonard with the move… I think everyone's coming round later, and Raj is bringing Missy… so I might head home for a bit and come back this evening…"

Once again, Sheldon said nothing, and watched intently as she changed back into her own clothes, tugging a burgundy coloured cardigan across her shoulders and a black skirt over her hips. She turned back to him, laying the red plaid pajama shirt across his lap and brushing a hand across his combed hair gently before leaving.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Leonard, where do you want this sword-thingy, can I wrap it up and put it in storage?" Penny called from Leonard's room, sticking her head out of the doorway to look at her boyfriend.<p>

Sheldon rolled his eyes and snatched the sword from her. "Penny, this is a replica of the Dagger of the Witch-King from the Lord of the Rings movie, and I'm positive that Leonard does not want to 'wrap it and put it in storage'."

Further down the hallway, with his head inside a box, Leonard waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah Penny just wrap it up with lots of bubble wrap…"

"But Leonard, don't you want to display it proudly in Penny's apartment? It would look great hanging on one of the walls…" Sheldon protested, holding the dagger out of Penny's reach.

She glared at him. "Oh, yeah, just great…"

There was a small crash in the living room and Sheldon marched out. Bernadette and his sister were sitting on the couch, folding clothes and chatting merrily, whilst Howard and Raj were scrambling to reassemble a freshly packed box of action figures and comic books. Sheldon glared, his frustration rising. "What in God's name are the two of you doing? I just finished packing this box and now look what you've done –"

"It was Raj's fault! I was just sitting here, minding my own business when he tackled me for this Aquaman action figure…" Howard whined from the floor, holding up the small green and orange plastic figurine.

Raj adamantly shook his head, and then leant across to whisper in Raj's ear. Howard dropped his jaw in mock shock. "Oh, come on, Raj – we all know how much you _love_ Aquaman."

Snatching up Leonard's belongings and tossing them back into the box, Raj huffed and glared at his best friend. Sheldon promptly knelt beside him to reorganize the mess. "The two of you are completely irresponsible; this box was perfectly packed and labeled before you –"

"Shelly," Missy's sweet voice chimed from the couch, "leave the poor boys alone, they're only trying to help –"

"_Help?_" He exclaimed loudly, standing to his full height and crossing his arms across his Batman t-shirt. "They're most certainly not _helping_… _hindering _would be a far more appropriate word…"

Leonard passed them with a large box in hand, dumping it out into the hallway and turning back. "Sheldon, for God's sake, just go and talk to Amy, you'll feel a lot better about all of this –"

"This has nothing to do with Amy, I just want to see to it that your move goes smoothly, and nothing is destroyed or misplaced –"

Bernadette cut in, frowning. "What about Amy?"

"Sheldon's torn as to whether the two of them should share a bedroom, or have separate bedrooms, 'cause he doesn't want to have to move all of his stuff." Leonard began, making his way back down the hallway.

Missy raised her eyebrows at Sheldon. "Oh, Shelly – you didn't tell her that did you?"

"Well, I suppose but –"

"No wonder the sweet thing isn't here; you've hurt her feelings! You march right over there and tell her she can have whatever room she likes –" Missy chastised, pointing a finger at her brother.

Bernadette nodded, strawberry blonde ringlets bobbling. "I agree with Missy, Sheldon… you need to talk to Amy; it is normal for a couple to share a room when they're living together…"

"I know that," Sheldon snapped, "I will talk to Amy, if you would all just stay out –"

Leonard reappeared, flopping into the armchair, looking exhausted. "Sheldon, I don't understand where all of this has come from… you've barely mentioned or reinforced the Roommate Agreement since we had that power out; you'd seemed so much more relaxed about it until now…"

Sheldon stared at him, silent for a moment. "Well, with all of this change coming about I want to be certain that nothing is going to go wrong –"

Raj, who had stomped across to the fridge to open a beer, interrupted him. "Howard, you are such a douche – you know I hate Aquaman, and you started it –"

"I did not –"

Sighing, Sheldon took his opportunity to busy himself with another box, relieved that the spotlight was away from him and his relationship issues. Up until then, the Roommate Agreement had meant little to him; after almost losing his best friend things had changed…

"So, Missy," Penny's voice rang as she came down the hall and into the kitchen, "how did your night at Raj's go last night?"

Sitting next to Leonard in a desk chair, Raj grinned widely and opened his mouth to speak. "It was –"

"Do not say a word." Sheldon cut in, glaring at him.

Missy rolled her eyes and smiled at Penny. "It was lovely, Raj was quite the gentleman, he made me feel right at home and was sure to let me sleep in his bed –"

"_Excuse me –_"

"- whilst he took the couch." She finished irritably, and then smiled sweetly at her two newly-found girlfriends. "The rest I will tell you later."

Bernadette giggled and drew her shoulders up in excitement. "Ooo sounds great!"

Sheldon huffed, still glaring at Raj, and then glanced at his watch. Amy had still not arrived and he was beginning to worry that he had upset her. What would he do?

"Well then ladies, I say we pick up a bottle of wine and gate crash Amy – seems like she could do with a little cheering up!" Penny said, grabbing her keys. The two girls rose with her and headed for the door. "We'll leave these four big, strong men to look after the heavy lifting!"

Leonard shot her a sarcastic, tight-lipped smile. "Oh, thanks…"

The three girls headed out the door, leaving Leonard, Howard, Raj and Sheldon sitting around a messy, cluttered looking living room. There was a moment of silence before Howard spoke up. "Halo, anyone?"

* * *

><p>Amy snuggled deeper into the woven blanket, tugging the tartan cushion under her weary head. Her apartment was dark, curtains closed and lights dimmed, and she was absently staring at a late night romantic comedy flickering on her television screen. Despite having watched the movie from the very beginning, she was struggling to follow the plot, and her mind kept drifting back to the events of the day.<p>

Sighing, she rolled onto her back, splaying an arm across her face. Her small couch was engulfing her, and it felt good. She stared at the roof, the same roof she had lived under for years. _This shouldn't matter, _she thought.

"Well it does." She said out loud, and groped for the remote, silencing the now-crying actress' woes. There was no reason for her to feel upset; she was still moving in with her boyfriend, he still wanted her there, with him…

Didn't he?

"Yes." She replied, and sighed again. Sheldon had come so far, so fast, and she knew she should be patient with him; his sudden affixation with the Roommate Agreement and his 'space' a result of the drastic changes going on around him. And it _was _a big change for him…

There was a sudden knock at her front door, and she frowned. "Who is it?" After a moment, there was a chorus of giggles and she smiled. "I think it's open, come in."

Door swinging open, Penny, Bernadette and Missy swept in, bubbly and bright. Penny cocked her head at her best friend and pouted, dragging a desk chair over. "We're here to rescue you!"

Amy sat up, smoothly her hair back into a ponytail. "Oh, thank you, but I don't need rescuing –"

Penny looked at her television screen and raised an eyebrow skeptically. "_Maid in Manhattan _– really Ames, you don't need rescuing?"

"Hey honey!" Missy said brightly, elegantly taking a seat beside her on the couch. "How you doing?"

Amy shrugged and gave a small smile. "I guess you all know about the dilemma Sheldon and I are having…"

Bernadette handed her a glass of wine. "Oh, don't you worry about him – he'll come around…"

Missy nodded. "Don't let my brother get you down, you know what he's like…"

"Oh yeah," Penny agreed, taking a large sip of her wine, "Ames, Sheldon wants you to live together… and that's huge… but this is a big change…"

"You should have seen the way he was acting at the apartment," Bernadette added, sitting on the other side of Missy, "he was all over the place; it's really troubling him…"

"I know…" Amy said quietly, trailing off.

Penny glanced around at her friends, seeking to change topics. "Okay, Missy – tell us what happened with you and Raj…"

The tall brunette smiled coyly, rosy cheekbones glowing. "Well, like I said, he was quite the gentleman… although when we arrived home he was awful chatty, telling me all about his problems with talking to women…"

Amy and Bernadette grinned at one another. "He took your advice, Amy!" Bernadette said.

"What advice?" Penny asked, completely out of the loop.

Amy turned to her. "I advised Raj that perhaps the only way he's ever going to deal with his selective mutism is to be honest with a woman he finds attractive, and maybe that way she will be patient with him and one day he'll feel comfortable enough to speak…"

Missy nodded, eyes wide. "Well, that makes far more sense now… he kept rambling on and on about how he hoped I didn't find it weird, and that he wanted to be able to talk to women… but I don't find it weird at all, I understand."

Penny scrunched up her nose a little, confused. "Really?"

Shrugging, Missy smiled. "He's such a cutie, and his heart is in the right place, and trust me, after having men leer at you and say all sorts of… lovely… things to you it's nice to have a break."

Bernadette nodded proudly. "Raj is a great guy, he just needs to find the right girl… so, what happened next?"

Missy crossed one slim leg over the other and rested her chin in her hand. "Well, he just kept on chatting and chatting, about all kinds of crazy things like being married off by his parents and some lesbian woman called Lakshmi… then he told me that no woman would ever be interested in him because of his little problem…" She went quiet, and then smiled. "So I gave him a kiss…"

The three girls erupted in giggles and coos. Missy grinned at them and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "And then he passed out on the couch, so I took his bed."

Bernadette chuckled lightly and sipped her drink. "Lucky Raj!"

"So, what did you do all day today?" Penny asked, tracing the rim of her glass.

"He woke up real early, and made me the loveliest breakfast – gosh golly, that man can cook!" Missy giggled, a little smitten. "And then he took me to the university and showed me some of his work, and after that we went out for lunch… so I suppose it was a little like a date!"

Again, the girls giggled, and then Amy frowned. "But Missy… don't you have to go back to Texas soon?"

Missy's face fell, and she sighed. "I suppose… I only requested a week off work, and I don't think my boss was terribly impressed." She paused. "I'm so sick of Texas, it's just wonderful here in California – I can see why my brother hangs around, well, apart from you…"

Amy smiled, flattered. "Well, maybe one day you could move here…"

"I might just do that." Missy said, grinning. "Okay – who's up for another glass?"

* * *

><p>A couple of days passed and Amy barely heard from Sheldon. She had, as usual, busied herself with her work at the lab and spent time with her girlfriends, Missy included. Despite desperately wanting to speak with him, Amy left Sheldon to his own devices, certain he needed the time to think.<p>

The group had successfully managed to move all of Leonard's belongings into Penny's apartment, with little help from Sheldon, and had invited everyone over to celebrate the move. Amy found herself staring at the baby blue of Penny's apartment door, fist raised, ready to knock. Before she could, a tiny click sounded behind her.

"Amy?" A familiar voice said gently.

She turned to face him, biting her lip. "Hello, Sheldon."

There was a moment of silence as he watched her, eyes trailing over her form as they so often did. She shuffled awkwardly. "Are you going to Leonard and Penny's too, for the 'housewarming'?"

Leaning his shoulder against the door frame, he swayed a little. "I have been invited, yes, but I was just hoping to steal a moment of your time first…"

Amy eyed him carefully, fiddling with the strap of her handbag. "Alright…"

A small smile formed on his lips and he waved her into his apartment. Stepping inside, she felt her heart sink a little at the emptiness of the space. So much was still in place, yet so much was gone. Sneaking a glance at him, she bit her lip; this was hurting him, too.

He turned to her slightly, eyes focused. "I'm sorry I haven't been contacting you… I just needed some time to work on something –"

A pang of guilt struck her, and she cut him off. "No, no – it's okay, I understand…"

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed her hand and led her down the hallway. The apartment was so quiet, so still, and she heard herself gasp as he guided her into the room.

"Sheldon…" She breathed, hand over her mouth. It was perfect. The walls were lined with framed images of his favourite heroes; posters and photos adorning the walls proudly. Two large bookcases leant against the back wall, his comics stacked neatly and books neatly arranged along the shelves. There were action figures and collectables and CDs and games… _him. _This room was _him._

He brushed past her gently and grinned. "This room is completely devoted to all of my most treasured belongings, it's like a recreation room," he indicated toward the bare wall to his right, "I was thinking that we could put your couch along this wall, that way there's a place to sit… oh, and this whole cupboard is almost completely free, so some of your belongings could go in here as well…"

Amy burst into tears and flung her arms around him. He had done all of this for _her_, changed for _her…_

"Oh, no, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Is it the positioning of the bookcase, because if it is I can get one of the guys over to help me move it… or is it that you wanted this room after all? I understand, it's a great room…" Sheldon rambled, panicking.

She pulled away from him and chuckled, wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "No, Sheldon, it's perfect… I can't believe you did all of this for me…"

He looked down at her, perplexed. "Of course I did. Now come on…"

Tugging her through the doorway, he swung open his bedroom door and held it open for her. There was nothing but his bed – still donning Star Trek sheets -, his dresser, his nightstand and a few photos on the walls. Amy felt the tears welling up once again, and she bit her lip. "Oh, Sheldon…"

Smiling proudly, he took her hands between his own. "I want you with me."

Amy beamed, feeling her heart swell in her chest. "Whatever I have to sign, I'll sign it now. You've done so much already…"

Sheldon took a deep breath and leveled his eyes with her own. "There isn't anything to sign."

She blinked at him, confused. "What?"

"There is no Roommate Agreement, no Relationship Agreement, besides the one that still stands…" He said, exhaling loudly. "We will come to our own arrangements."

Shaking her head lightly, Amy was speechless. No Roommate Agreement? "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said confidently, and then smirked cheekily, "though you will have to do something for me…"

Before she knew it, she was on her back on the soft covers, his body hovering over her. Gently, he kissed her and she felt herself go weak.

"Anything."


	30. Chapter 30

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay! FINALLY chapter thirty has arrived! My SINCEREST apologies for the delay, I feel awful, because I promised a chapter much earlier… unfortunately, I was really ill last week with a kidney infection and have hardly been out of bed until the weekend just gone. BUT I am all better now, and have half of chapter thirty one finished, and I PROMISE it will be up in the next few days. Please remember to review and enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 30**

The following week passed by quickly, with Sheldon and Amy busying themselves with preparation for the upcoming move. Since her last visit, Amy had hardly seen Sheldon, and had instead devoted her time to rigorously packing boxes and readying her apartment to be vacated. It was now Saturday, and she was spread out across her empty bedroom floor, piling the contents of her nightstand into a dusty, haggard looking cardboard box. The last one.

"Ames?" Came a voice through the doorway, and Amy looked up to find her best friend poking her head around the doorframe, car keys in jingling in her hand. "We've got the last of your stuff packed and ready to go, you coming?"

Hauling herself up off the floor, Amy pushed up the sleeves of her grey tracksuit top and snatched up the box. "Yeah, I'm all set."

She followed the blonde waitress out into the living area, which was cold with emptiness. Yet she didn't feel sad to leave, not even in the slightest. Leonard stood in the doorway, looking drained and in need of a nap.

"Here…" He said and took the overflowing box from her, grimacing as the bottom bowed significantly. "You don't happen to have another box, do you? I'm seriously questioning the structural integrity of this one…"

Smirking, she reached for her handbag and switched off the lights. "Nope, that's the last one." She placed her set of keys on the kitchen counter and followed her two friends out, taking one last glance around the dark apartment. "Goodbye, old home."

Tugging the door shut behind her, Amy made her way down the stairs, and headed for her new home.

"Hmm, a little more to the left… no, not that left, your other left! Good Lord, the two of you are completely incapable of moving a couch…" Sheldon huffed from the doorway as he bossily directed an irritable Howard and Raj as to the perfect placement of Amy's couch.

"Sheldon," Howard grumbled, straining as he held the couch inches above the ground, "I don't see you on the other end, so why don't you just pipe down…"

Raj nodded. "Come on dude… the removalists already put everything where it needs to go… surely you can just move it all around later. I'm hungry and tired and your sister is leaving soon…"

Sheldon folded his arms across his broad chest, glaring. "Yes, Missy _is _returning home, to Texas where she belongs, not _your_ apartment." He huffed again and tucked his clipboard under his arm. "And _fine_, you may leave the couch it currently stands…"

The two men dropped the couch roughly and Sheldon scowled, shaking his head. A shrill voice rang out from the kitchen. "Boys, lunch is on the table!"

"Coming honey!" Howard replied, and punched Raj in the arm, who was chuckling.

"She is sounding more and more like your mother every day…" He teased, and ducked to avoid further injury.

The three made their way out into the living area, where Missy, Penny and Bernadette were busily arranging plates and sandwiches. Glancing around the room, Sheldon took a deep breath. Slowly, surely, his apartment was looking fuller again, with touches of her – a tartan rug thrown haphazardly across the couch, her neurobiology books slotted in on his book shelf, her desk and computer lined up neatly alongside his own… and he was certain he had seen feminine hygiene products scattered across the bathroom counter…

"Hey, guys!" Leonard said cheerily as he entered the apartment, boxes in hand. "Oh, this looks great!"

He dumped the frail looking box onto the couch and Sheldon exhaled, clenching his fists together lightly. The wearing day was beginning to test his patience, and he could feel it growing thinner by the minute.

Before he could speak up, Amy swept into the apartment, cheeks flushed and grinning widely. Tossing her handbag onto the couch, she sought him out and gave him a wide smile, biting on her lip gently. "Hey, roomie!"

Every drop of frustration and impatience melted away as he watched her. _This is worth it. _"Hello."

"Alright you two love birds, that's enough…" Penny joked, passing them both a plate each. "Have a sandwich and have a seat."

Leonard flopped into the vacant armchair and sighed, exhausted. "I have never lifted so many boxes in my life…"

Howard, who was spinning around in circles on his computer chair, nodded with a mouthful. "You have a lot of stuff, Amy!"

"A woman is allowed to have lots of 'stuff', Howie, you know that…" Bernadette said gently, relaxing into her spot on the couch. "Besides, after Amy gave so much of it to the op shop down the road, I'm surprised there was anything at all!"

Amy smirked. "Well, Sheldon already had all of the basic necessities for a household, so I've only brought what I need." Looking around the room, a bright pink suitcase caught her eye alongside the island bench. Missy was propped up on the barstool, Raj sitting closely beside her. "Are you leaving today Missy?"

The radiant brunette nodded, perfectly styled ponytail bouncing. "Sure am. Gotta get back home, but I'm hoping to come back real soon to see you all… especially this cutie…" She poked Raj in the side playfully, and he giggled silently, twisting away from her fire engine red nails.

Sheldon made a small noise in protest beside Amy, and she raised an eyebrow at him. He opened his mouth to object, but Penny wisely cut him off. "Well, I think all that's left are half a dozen boxes to be unpacked, everything else is pretty well done!" She yawned and shuffled on the edge of the armrest. "Think I'm gonna need a nap before my shift tonight… come on, Leonard, let's leave them to it…"

Leonard lifted his heavy head from the back of the couch and dragged himself up. "Sure. Oh, by the way Sheldon – I can't get you to work tomorrow."

Sheldon looked up from scowling at his sandwich and frowned. "Why not?"

"Because after working that many night shifts trying to get my research finished I have accrued a rostered day off, and I'm rostering it right now." He said flatly, heading for the door.

"Under whose approval? And how will I get to work?" Sheldon asked irritably.

Leonard opened the door and shuffled across the hallway, calling back over his shoulder. "Under my approval and I don't care. Oh – and bye, Missy, hopefully see you soon!"

Missy giggled and waved to Leonard. "Bye Leonard!"

Amy looked at her forlorn boyfriend. "I can drop you off in the morning, but I'm working later in the afternoon, so…"

Sighing, Penny relented. "I finish my shift at four, I'll come pick you up." She crossed the room and gave Missy a warm hug. "It was great to have seen you, and please don't leave it so long to come visit again!"

"Oh, don't worry, I won't!" Missy said softly, giving Penny a mischievous smile. She looked over at Raj, who was pouting. "We'd better get going sugar, if you're going to drop me at the station in time…"

Bernadette stood and began clearing the plates. "We should head off too, Howie, there's a lot to be done around home and you know my dad is coming over for dinner…"

Howard slumped his shoulders. "I know, I know... how could I forget…"

Slipping off the barstool, Missy gathered her handbag and slid her trendy sunglasses onto her head. Behind her, Raj gathered her suitcase and she smiled sweetly. "See, Shelly, you've got nothing to worry about – Rajesh is the perfect gentleman…"

Sheldon rose from his spot and ignored her comment. "Well, have a safe trip back home, and say hello to our mother for me." He said coolly, giving her a small nod in appreciation. His tall twin gave wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, and he pursed his lips. "Take care."

"Will do, Shelly, you two have fun now…" She leant across to Amy and gave her a hug too. "You take care of her!"

"Yes, yes I will… now go, before you miss your train!" Sheldon shooed.

"We'll walk down with you – see you later!" Bernadette said, waving back to Sheldon and Amy happily.

"Thanks for all of your help!" Amy called out as the group left their apartment. Sighing tiredly, she looked around the room, which was filled with empty boxes and an odd combination of her own belongings and her boyfriend's. It was strange, but so wonderful. This was her home now.

Snapping out of her trance, emotions and exhaustion hitting her all at once, she glanced over at Sheldon, who was leaning against the beam near the hallway, staring at her. She smiled coyly. "So… what do you think?"

Sheldon tilted his head slightly, and looked over her grey tracksuit top and matching pants. Never had he imagined himself as a man who would grow irritable at a lack of sex, and yet there he was; finding himself incapable of thinking of nothing but her touch, her skin, her scent. "I think," he began huskily, "that your presence has been missed in the past week."

Placing the pile of plates onto the kitchen counter, Amy moved across to him and gave him a skeptical look. "I mean what do you think of the apartment…?"

"Oh, yes, it's fine…" He said and waved his hand dismissively, which promptly fluttered down on the plastic zipper of her top, sitting neatly against her sternum. Biting his lower lip, he toyed with it gently and drew it down to sit between her breasts, the click of the zip almost deafening in the silence of the room.

Sheldon could hear her breathing deepen, could see the rise and fall of her chest, and bent his neck down to kiss her softly. Within seconds, the contact became more heated, and he pushed his lips against her roughly, tongue grazing against her own. She tapped him away and he huffed, frustration building. "Amy…"

"Yes?" She replied cheekily, a smile on her swollen lips. "Sheldon, we've got so much unpacking to do…"

Turning to head back to the kitchen, Amy smiled proudly at her teasing ways. Before she could get far, a pair of arms snaked around her waist and tugged her back. She came face to face with Sheldon's piercing blue eyes, a mere ribbon around the dilated black of his pupils. He reached for the zipper once again and pulled it down in one swift motion, revealing her black singlet top. "You know… Leonard and I used to have a clause that deemed the occupancy of the shower be limited to one… and whilst I am aware that we've broken this clause on numerous occasions I just want to make sure it's _really_ nullified…"

The tone of his voice was so blasé, so thick with sexuality, and Amy felt a heat rise within her, tingling between her legs. How did he have such power over her? "And what do you suggest?"

He tipped the grey fabric off her shoulders and down over her arms, letting the top fall to the floor. His gaze trailed across her bear décolletage and slender shoulders, and he glided his fingers across her skin. "I suggest that we perform an experiment to determine what intimate activities can be undergone within the space of a shower with two occupants…"

Amy smirked, well aware of his intentions. "And how would we measure the results of the experiment?"

"We would require both parties to reach climax in order to claim the experiment as being successful…" He whispered, gently pecking the skin beneath her ear. She gasped and was promptly dragged down the hall and into the bathroom, glass panel door slammed shut behind them.

Before she could do a thing, the water was switched on and Sheldon had pulled his Batman t-shirt and undershirt over his head, and had taken off his socks of shoes. Steam from the hot, running shower began to fill the room, and Amy stared in wonder as the haze surrounded Sheldon's taut, pale torso. He stepped closer to her, backing her body into the counter, and Amy moaned as she felt his erection pressed against her through his purple pants. Her singlet was ripped off her, bra unhooked and pants pushed over her hips in one fluid motion.

She groped for the buckle of his belt, but he slapped her hand away gently, smirking at her. "You first."

In nothing but her panties, socks and tennis shoes, Amy suddenly felt vulnerable and crossed her arms across her chest and stomach, blushing. Sheldon shook his head, and deliberately undid his own buckle, sliding the belt through the loops and dropping it to the floor. He looked at her, pulling her arms away from her chest. "You're beautiful," he said softly, "and now it's your turn."

Amy kicked off the tennis shoes and peeled away her socks, smiling at him victoriously. "And now yours."

He unzipped his fly and pushed his pants down his legs, now in nothing but briefs which were being strained by his excitement. Swallowing hard, he slipped a finger under either side of Amy's plain blue underwear and skimmed them down her body. Stepping back, he admired her, as if he'd never seen her naked form before, and grew impatient yet again. "Hop in."

Removing his briefs, he followed her in, tugging the shower curtain across. Amy reached up and untied her hair from its messy ponytail, allowing her almost waist length brown hair to tumble around her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and a tiny smile played on her lips as she tipped her head back under the steady stream, allowing the droplets to cascade across her face and down her neck. The reflection of colours from the Periodic Table on his shower curtain danced across her skin, and Sheldon couldn't help himself as he stepped under the stream with her.

He kissed her harder, fiercer than before, and felt her warm body react against his own, and he moaned as his hardness twitched against her thigh. A giggle from Amy separated their kiss, and her seductive green eyes peered up at him, full of desire. She planted a row of light kisses along the base of his neck and collarbone, and a loud moan escaped his lips as she took his length in her soapy hand, sliding it skillfully from base to tip. Within a few strokes, she had backed him to the tiled wall, and he braced himself, breathing heavy. The hot, clear water splashed down on them, and Sheldon gasped as Amy knelt in front of him, lips mere inches from taking him as she had before.

"No…" He stuttered, pulling her to her feet and breathing unsteadily; his body was screaming for him to say yes, to let her taste him…

She looked at him curiously, a droplet of water on the tip of her nose. "I thought that was the aim of the experiment, Dr. Cooper…?"

"Yes," he began, "but if you do _that_ it will be over _very _fast… and I want to see how much more we can achieve…"

Gently, he ran a hand across her chest, cupping her breast and tweaking her nipple gently, watching in awe as her head rolled back and she moaned his name. His eyes scanned the small space in the shower, over the ducks on the tub floor and along the small white tiles, and he did some quick math in his head. "Amy, you weigh, what… one hundred and thirty pounds…?"

Her eyes cracked open and she frowned at him. "Yeah I guess… why are you asking that now – Sheldon!"

Within seconds, he had her pinned against the cool, wet tiles, and his hands firmly on her buttocks, encouraging her to give him her weight. "I'm going to pick you up – wrap your legs around my waist."

Amy eyed him skeptically, the chill of the cold tiles against her back causing her to shiver. "I don't know, Sheldon…"

He ignored her uncertainty and heaved her up onto his hips, her legs locking around him. She slid higher up the slippery wall and yelped. Looking her straight in the eye, Sheldon tightened his grip around her. "I'm stronger than you think, Amy, and the physics supports this maneuver…"

She nodded uncertainly, linking her slender ankles together and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Okay…"

Growling softly into the crook of her neck, he teased her with the tip of his erection. The contact emitted a cry from Amy, who had begun rocking against him gently. "Please Sheldon…"

Her pleas made the hairs on his neck stand up and he shivered, control waning. Shifting her up a little higher, steamy air enveloping the two of them, Sheldon thrust forward, burying his length within her. Instantly the pleasure was overwhelming, and he moaned, sliding in and out once again. "Oh, God, Amy…"

She breathed against him as he pounded into her, stroke after stroke filling her deeper, until he was near grunting. He had missed this, had missed _her_, and as he looked up to her pleasure-filled face, wet ropes of hair hanging around her face, he knew that she was _his_ and would never let her go.

Drawing her nails down his back, Amy threw her head back, quickly reaching her own end. Sheldon increased his speed, feeling her heat, her tightness clench around him, and he lost control. With one final, hard thrust, he pulsed within her, roaring her name and gripping her soft skin.

Amy relaxed against him, and the couple panted heavily, Sheldon's legs searing at the workout they had endured. He reached a hand up to trace her jaw line, watching as her eyelids drooped with satisfaction and exhaustion. Tenderly, he pecked her lips, lowering her to the slippery bath tub floor. Stepping back under the flow of the hot water, she smiled cheekily at him.

"Welcome home, roomie."

* * *

><p>Penny pulled up under the shade of an oak tree outside the front of Cal Tech, tugging the hand break and leaning her head back with a sigh. It was twenty past four, and no doubt Sheldon would be slipping into the passenger seat at any moment, criticizing her for her lateness.<p>

Sure enough, the car door swung open and the tall physicist clambered inside. "Hello, Penny!" He said brightly, clicking his seat belt into place and bundling his bag on his lap.

The blonde waitress blinked at him, waiting, but Sheldon continued to sit, content, in the seat beside her. She grinned uncertainly and took off. "Hey! What's got you so happy?"

"Oh, nothing!" He replied, smiling lightly. "Thank you for picking me up."

Penny smirked and furrowed her brow a little. "That's okay…"

Sheldon suddenly burst into action, fossicking around in his bag. "Oh, that reminds me… here…" He leant across to her dashboard and pressed a round, sad-faced sticker over the 'Check Engine' light. "Much better, I was sick and tired of looking at it."

Penny looked at the bright pink sad face, staring back at her unhappily. "Um… Sheldon, you do realize that by putting a sticker over the 'Check Engine' light it doesn't mean the engine has actually been checked…?"

He rolled his eyes at her and looked straight out the window. "Of course I know that. It has become painfully evident that you do not intend to have the engine checked throughout the lifetime of the vehicle, and I refuse to continue to look at the little red light any longer."

Pursing her lips, Penny suppressed a laugh. "Well, I'm glad it won't be keeping you up at night then…"

"Oh it doesn't keep me up at night, trust me." He responded.

She grinned and snuck a glance at him. "Someone else does though…"

His eyes shifted from the road ahead to her. "If you are referring to Amy then I suppose you are correct."

"Oh, am I now!" Penny replied excitedly, almost bouncing in her seat. "You must be just loving having her live with you… all the sex you would be having…"

Sheldon huffed, and gave her a tiny smirk. "Penny, please… I understand it must be difficult having a man who cannot fully satisfy your needs as a woman but you do not have to be jealous of Amy… although she _is _lucky…"

"Jealous?" She burst, looking across at him. "And since when does Leonard not 'fully satisfy my needs'?"

Sheldon looked down into his lap, smirking triumphantly. "Well, someone of such small stature as Leonard could not possibly –"

"Ah!" Penny said sharply, holding a hand out. "We are not having this conversation."

He shrugged, indifferent. "Your choice."

A moment of silence settled in as they continued back to the apartment, and Sheldon felt suddenly obliged to continue some kind of conversation. "And how are your living arrangements going? Proving to be successful, I trust?"

"Yeah!" She said cheerily, and then faltered. "Although… Leonard's been a little distant lately, I don't know whether he's coping with the change all that well… he seemed so excited and all to begin with…"

Sheldon chewed on the inside of his lip. "That's unfortunate. In what way does he seem distant?"

Penny shrugged, flicking the indicator roughly and turning the corner onto their street. "I don't know… just quiet and kinda secretive, and he seems to be talking about catching up with Amy a lot too, I didn't realize the two of them were that close…"

This information caught Sheldon's interest and he screwed his face up in confusion. "Why would he want to catch up with Amy? Besides… she lives right across the hall now…"

Penny sighed, parking the car and switching off the ignition. "I have no idea. It's weird though… maybe I'll have to talk to him…"

The pair headed into the apartment building and up the stairs, silent with their own thoughts. Sheldon couldn't help but replay Leonard's unreadable expression when he had entered their apartment the other day, when Amy had been wearing only his shirt… had it been a suspicious look? Should he be concerned?

"Oh, crap!" Penny swore, shaking Sheldon from his pondering. "I forgot my key… Leonard!"

She knocked on the blue door, waiting for a response. Nothing came. "He must be out."

Sheldon shrugged and waved her over, sliding his key into the lock. "You can wait at our place until he returns…"

Swinging open the door, Sheldon was completely surprised to find Amy and Leonard huddled on the couch, a laptop set out across Leonard's lap. His best friend snapped his head around and upon spotting the two of them, slammed the laptop shut and grinned stupidly. "Oh, hey, guys!"

Penny, who was a step behind Sheldon, folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "Hi… what you guys doing…?"

Amy stood up hastily, gathering their coffee mugs and heading for the kitchen. Sheldon watched her closely, uncertainty taking him over. "Firstly, Leonard, get out of my spot, secondly, why are you here and thirdly, Amy – I thought you were working late?"

Leonard scooted across the couch and grinned again. "Oh… um… Amy was just helping me out with some work, some research… yeah!"

"Some _physics_ work?" Sheldon pried, untangling his bag from his body and placing it on his desk.

"Yes," Amy jumped in, smiling at her boyfriend, "Leonard has asked me to proof read a paper he is writing for –"

"I though you were working late." Sheldon repeated, looking her in the eye.

Amy inhaled sharply. "I was going to be, but my roster was changed, so I came home a little earlier than expected… and I knew Penny was picking you up, so I felt no need to change plans…"

There was a small silence between the four of them. Penny cleared her throat deliberately. "Well… I don't have a key, because I forgot mine… so, Leonard, if you're going to stay here and hang out then can you give me your key…?"

Leonard leapt off the couch, tucking the laptop under his arm. "No, no that's okay – probably should get back home and organize some dinner shouldn't we…"

He shuffled across to the front door, grasping Penny's hand and tugging her along with him. Within seconds, the door shut with a click, and the apartment was tense with unspoken words. Turning her back to him, Amy busied herself rinsing the mugs.

Sheldon didn't take his eyes off her as he rounded the counter, leaning his hip against the bench beside her. "I just had the most peculiar conversation with Penny on the way home…"

"Oh?" She responded, eyes fixed on the foamy water in the sink.

"Yes, she said Leonard has been acting quite strangely lately – 'distant' she says. And apparently he has been talking about 'hanging out' with you." He said absently, attempting to catch her gaze.

Amy frowned and shrugged her shoulders, reaching for a tea towel to dry the dishes. "That's odd… I don't know why Leonard would really wish to hang out with me –"

"And then," he interrupted, ignoring her completely, "I come home to find you both curled up on the couch doing some 'research paper' together."

She paused and put down the mocha coloured cup, sighing. Her eyes locked with his. "Sheldon, I've told you before, there's nothing for you to worry about, at all –"

"Isn't there?" He snapped, folding his arms across his defiantly. "Amy, I am well aware that I _far _surpass a man such as Leonard however I can't help but feel like you are hiding something from me."

Amy bit her lip. "Sheldon, please just trust me…"

He eyed her once again as she cupped his cheek, giving him a small smile. "I love you." She whispered.

_Breathe Cooper, she's not going to leave you for someone like Leonard. _"I love you, too."

* * *

><p>The very next morning, Amy found herself staring at a row of long test tubes with brightly coloured labels adorning them. Her handwriting was scrawled across them, and Amy peered closer to read the mess, tilting her head. It had been a long morning of menial tasks in the lab; running reports and catching up on filing. Sighing, she buttoned her lab coat and slipped white gloves across her hands, ready to get into some hands-on work.<p>

Unscrewing the cap of a test tube that appeared to say 'Primate Number 27 – Cerebral Fluid – Specimen B', Amy squeezed the head of a dropper and extracted the clear liquid from the glass tube. Carefully, she dripped the fluid onto a small slide, and slipped it beneath the microscope, placing her eyes against the lens and adjusting the focus.

A small knock sounded at her door and she glanced up. It was Leonard, grinning at her from ear to ear. "I got it."

"You did? Already?" Amy gushed, tugging off her gloves and waving him over. He bustled over to her, smiling proudly, and removed a velvet box from his pocket. Flipping open the lid, Amy gasped and eyed the sparkling jewel lying amongst the beige velvet.

"It's white gold, three quarter carat, princess cut… that's right, isn't it?" Leonard asked, drawing his eyebrows together uncertainly.

Amy nodded, watching the clear diamond catch the light and glint. "Well, I know that whenever I've gone out shopping with her she's pointed rings like this out… so I think she'll love it."

Leonard continued to stare at the engagement ring, mesmerized. "Amy…" he said abruptly, still gazing at the ring, "I don't think I want to wait to ask Penny…"

The neurobiologist cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Snapping the box shut, Leonard met her eyes. "I don't want to wait to ask Penny to marry me, I want to do it now."

Amy blinked at him. "But what about Switzerland, and all of your plans…"

Leonard shrugged, making a face. "We can go to Switzerland for a honeymoon or a holiday or something… I don't know… I just don't think I can wait any longer, the anxious is seriously getting to me, and starting to spark my asthma…"

"Okay…" Amy said slowly, pursing her lips. "So when do you want to do it?"

"Maybe in the next couple of days… or over the weekend…" Leonard said indecisively, resting against the lab bench.

Amy frowned at him. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He was silent for a moment, before he nodded strongly. "Yes. I want to propose to Penny."

"Alright!" Amy said excitedly, stunned by the news. "Well… do you still need my help or –"

She was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing on the bench beside her. Sheldon's face filled her screen and she pressed the phone to her ear. "Hey, Cuddles."

"Hello." He replied on the other end, a hint of a smile in his voice. "How is your day progressing?"

"Well, a little slow, how about yours?" Amy replied, and mouthed to Leonard 'it's Sheldon'. He rolled his eyes and nodded, mouthing back 'I know'.

"Not bad, making some headway, would certainly be better if you were here…" He paused, and chuckled. "Though that would probably not be beneficial to my work…"

Leonard was growing impatient. He smirked. "Hey, Cuddles!"

Amy swatted him and glared, holding a finger against her lips. Sheldon's sharp hearing caught the comment. "Who was that?"

"It was Leonard," Amy said reluctantly, "he's dropped in to get the final draft of his research paper…"

"Oh…" Sheldon said quietly, and Amy drew a hand across her forehead, stressed. "I see."

Leonard made an apologetic face and took a seat on a nearby stool. "Sorry…" He whispered.

"Well, I'll let you attend to Leonard's paper, then…" Sheldon said apprehensively. "I'll see you at The Cheesecake Factory after work for dinner, yes?"

"Yeah, everyone is meeting at five thirty, I believe… so I'll see you then." Amy replied, and before the end of her sentence the line was dead. She sighed and cradled the phone in her hand.

"Sheldon's a little suspicious of something, huh?" Leonard observed, chewing his lower lip. "Penny's the same… she was really weird when we got back to her apartment last night…"

Amy nodded. "So was Sheldon." She huffed in frustration. "He needs to trust me, and stop being so darn territorial…"

Leonard grinned goofily, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Well, that's what happens when a guy who's never had sex in his life suddenly sleeps with the woman of his dreams…"

Rolling her eyes, Amy continued on with her work. "Whatever you say Romeo… now, I need to get some work done, and you need to get back to Cal Tech…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Leonard replied, sliding off the seat and heading for the door. "See you tonight, Ames."

* * *

><p>"Okay! How is everyone this evening?" Penny said brightly, notepad and pen in hand and blonde ponytail bobbing. The gang had decided to get together at The Cheesecake Factory for dinner that evening to celebrate Amy and Leonard moving apartments, and were now seated around their regular table as Penny took their orders. "You know, you could have chosen a night to come here when I <em>wasn't <em>working…"

"Yes," Sheldon began, closing his menu, "but then who would take my order?"

"Another waitress…?" Penny said, smiling sarcastically. "Now – the usual for everyone?"

Raj looked up from his menu, thoughtful. "Penny, can I get another beer? The other one disappeared…"

Howard smiled and shook his head. "And when he says 'disappeared' he means 'got drunk'…"

"Cheer up, Raj," Bernadette said, smiling softly, "I know you're upset because Missy had to go back home, hopefully she'll come and visit from time to time…"

"You don't understand… Missy was the first girl who _liked _me, even with my problems with talking to women…" Raj complained, shoulders slumped.

"One low-carb beer, coming right up!" Penny said, scribbling on her notepad. "So – the usual, yes?"

The group nodded and she scurried off to place their orders, pushing past a noisy family celebrating a three year old birthday, cake splattered across the floor and balloons dangling from the ceiling. Leonard looked across at Amy and took a deep breath, eyes wide.

"Good Lord, could that family have possibly selected a more suitable restaurant for a toddler's birthday party? It's terribly loud in here…" Sheldon whined, resting an elbow on the table and sipping on his diet Coke.

"I agree…" Bernadette said darkly, scowling at the mess of toddlers and young children now racing around the table in a rough game of chasey. "Like McDonalds…"

Amy's attention was not with the raucous family, instead it was focused on Sheldon, who was sitting beside him at the head of the table. He had barely said a word to her since their arrival. "So… how was the rest of your afternoon at work?" She asked quietly, rubbing the back of his hand affectionately.

"Fine, thank you for asking." He replied coolly, pale blue eyes passing over her briefly. "Did you manage to assist Leonard with his 'research paper'?"

Amy gritted her teeth. "Sheldon…"

"Well," Bernadette interrupted, holding her wine glass in the air, completely unaware of the couple's private conversation, "here's to Leonard and Penny, and Sheldon and Amy, and their exciting new living arrangements!"

The group clinked glasses and continued on with regular chit chat until the meals arrived, Sheldon ignoring Amy childishly at his every opportunity. Before long, Penny was collecting the empty plates, and the restaurant was beginning to thin down, customers finishing up for the evening. "Were your meals okay guys?"

"With you delivering them to us bestie, they couldn't be better." Amy said sweetly, grinning at the waitress.

Penny scrunched up her nose, smiling. "Thanks, Ames…" She piled the plates onto her trolley and scooped up the remaining glasses, and turned to head back to the kitchen when Leonard grabber her arm.

"Penny, wait…" He said quietly, and stood up, looking positively green. Looking around at his five seated friends, he gulped. "There's something I want to say, and I hadn't been planning on saying it tonight, actually I had been planning on saying it in a couple of months, and not in this exact location but… um… yeah, I'll just go ahead and um, yeah…"

Amy felt her breath catch and she watched as Leonard turned his complete attention to Penny, who was watching him with a combination of humour and confusion, completely unaware of what was about to happen. In the next breath, Leonard had knelt down on one knee and Bernadette slapped a hand over her mouth, gasping.

Penny's eyes were wide and her jaw dropped. "Leonard… what are you doing…?"

Leonard fished into his pocket and produced the tiny, black velvet box, holding it out in front of him. "Penny, I had planned to do this in a romantic, incredible, meaningful place, and rehearse my every line… but when I picked up this ring this afternoon I knew I couldn't wait any more, and that the place and time and words didn't matter, what matters is you, and us…" He smiled at her. "Penny, will you marry me?"

Tears instantly sprung to Penny's eyes, and she felt herself crumble under heavy emotions. She had not expected this; it was too much, too fast… but as she looked down at the man kneeling before her she knew it was okay. Beyond okay. "Yes… yes, Leonard, I will!"

"You will?" Leonard asked, surprised, and Amy scowled at him. "Oh, right, the ring…"

He slipped the glistening diamond ring onto her finger and threw his arms around her, cheers and cries of celebration surrounding them. Raj had fallen to pieces, sobbing at the other end of the table. "I never thought we would see this day…"

Amy stood and hugged them both. "Congratulations!"

Leonard promptly grabbed her hand and readdressed his friends, who were bustling around the table to arrange another round of drinks and congratulate their friends. "And Amy knew all along, she was helping me plan the whole thing… although I kind of ruined the plan by proposing early…"

Sheldon, who was extracting himself from a rare Sheldon Cooper hug he had graciously given Penny, locked eyes with his girlfriend. "Is that why…?"

Amy nodded, smiling gently, and Sheldon breathed deeply, relief spreading through him. Suddenly he felt euphoric, the excitement of the moment overwhelming him. He slapped his best friend across the back, Leonard almost falling flat from the force. "Congratulations!"

Penny wrapped her arms around Amy's neck and pulled her in closely, whispering in her ear. "You _knew_ all this time? Thank you so much…"

"Hey, let me in!" Bernadette said, tossing an arm around her girlfriends' waists. "Now I won't be the only married lady in the group! Congratulations, Penny, Leonard!"

Howard returned to the table with a bottle of wine and multiple glasses. "Okay, who's up for a glass? Sheldon?"

Sheldon nodded. "Oh, why not… pour me a glass…"

The evening continued on well into the night, the group polishing off another bottle of wine and stumbling back to their respective apartments. Unable to have too much to drink as she was still on her shift, Penny drove Leonard, Sheldon and Amy home, and the four were traipsing up the last flight of stairs, trying to stop an intoxicated Sheldon from getting distracted by everything in sight.

"Come on, Sheldon," Amy said, feeling her head spin, "we're almost home, and no, you don't need to check your mail, you've already checked it twice today…"

"But Amy, I need to check it again just to be triply sure, come on…" Sheldon turned to descend the stairs, but was grabbed on both sides by Penny and Amy.

"Come on, Sheldon… jeez, I forget how badly he holds his liquor…" Penny mumbled, pulling him up to the landing.

Leonard had beat them to it, and was quietly grinning and staring at his fiancé. "Come on, fiancé, let's consummate this engagement…"

Penny chuckled and tossed him the keys, which he dropped. "Sweetie, I don't think you are supposed to consummate an engagement…"

"Oh well, we're doing it anyway…" Leonard shuffled into the apartment and dragged her with him.

Penny laughed and waved at her friends. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" Sheldon said loudly, and Amy hushed him, giggling. She fiddled with the lock, struggling to get the key in, and finally heard the click and entered the apartment.

Once inside, Sheldon pinned her against the back of the apartment door, her back hitting the doorknob roughly. She giggled again as he fiddled with the buttons on her cardigan. "Ow! Sheldon!"

His half-lidded eyes looked at her and he smirked cheekily, kissing her roughly. She felt her body begin to surrender, his tongue meeting her own, hands sliding between her thighs and stroking her through the thin material of her panties. It felt good, so good, and she wanted nothing more than to relent, but knew they needed a moment to compose themselves.

Pushing him away, she brushed past him and into the kitchen, pouring them both a glass of water. Sheldon huffed in protest, following her over to the sink and pressing himself up against her. "Amy, I want to…"

She grinned, the dark room causing her tired eyes to blur. "I know you do, but we both need to sober up a little first, or someone will wind up hurt…"

Passing him the glass of water, he backed away from her and leant against the island bench, across from her. He sipped at his water slowly, never tearing his eyes away from her. A few minutes passed before he spoke. "Maybe marriage isn't such a silly idea after all."

The comment caused Amy to splutter on her water. "What?"

He shrugged, tilting his head lazily. "Well, you know… marriage is legally binding, and since I can't seem to hold you down with one of my own little contracts then…"

The intensity of his stare made her heart race, and she didn't know how to respond. Finally, she smiled anxiously. "Sheldon, you're drunk… this isn't something you should talk about when you're drunk…"

"Why not?" He asked rebelliously, stepping toward her. "I know that I want you, and you want me… what's another contract with our signatures on it?"

Amy bit her lip, shaking her head and smirking. "This is not a conversation for _now,_ Sheldon."

He leant over her again, a hand returning to the warmth between her legs. "I can think of a _perfect _conversation for now…"


	31. Chapter 31

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> LOOK Lauren got her next chapter up within a week! Go her! I am so glad I got this one up before the weekend! Not really all that much to say, except for a huge thank you to all of my readers and reviewers, it's lovely to have hit 400 reviews! And – for the record – there is a reference to the recent episode (which floored me) in the first section of this chapter, as you are about to discover. Anyway – please enjoy!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 31**

_Cornflower blue._

_Swimming in a sea of cornflower blue… silky between his fingers… morphing, molding around the shape of her hip, across the dip of her waist… shiny black, hugging, holding the curve of her calf… gold, sparkling gold, an emblem… a soft lull, a bubble of sound as an object traces across his body… emerald green, feline, gazing down at him as he kneels on one knee… all hers…_

_A hand._

_Trailing the length of his jaw… down his quivering neck and to the tips of his outstretched fingers, shaking… a box… a tiny, velvet box clutched in his hand, searing his palm, scorching… blistering him, leaving a scar, a mark… he drops it, and she turns away, cornflower blue back to him… grasping her stomach in pain, in detest, she retches… fading from his view…_

A slither of light met Sheldon's crusty, tired eyes, and he groaned in protest – why would she not stop vomiting…

_Vomiting? _

Eyes widening, head pounding, he tossed back the tangled covers and leapt from the bed, glancing at the flashing red numbers on his nightstand. Two fifteen in the morning…

Stumbling down the hallway, still disoriented and jumbled from his bizarre dream, Sheldon knocked on the opaque glass of the bathroom door. "Amy?" He croaked, resting his forearm against the door. "Are you okay?"

She heaved again, the sound causing him to wince, and he fumbled for the doorknob. He found her sprawled across the floor in front of the toilet bowl, groping around the cistern for the button to flush. Reaching across, he pressed it for her, and promptly grabbed a cool flannel from the basin, hauling her up under his arm.

"I'm sorry…" She slurred slightly, rubbing her head softly. Shaking his own thumping head, he dabbed the wet cloth across her face, tightening his grip around her ribs.

"It's okay…" He replied quietly, beginning to sober up from his deep slumber. "Are you feeling alright? Do I need to wake Leonard and have him take us to the doctors?"

She smiled wistfully and shook her head. "No, there's no need… it was probably the alcohol…"

Sheldon tilted his head, watching closely as she removed herself from him and rinsed the white flannel in the sink. Memory – for once – failing him, he frowned. "How much did we have to drink?"

"Quite a bit," she replied, sighing unsteadily, "though not nearly enough for your memory to be impaired – are you having trouble remembering things?"

He wasn't so sure himself. "No, I do remember… it's just a little fuzzy… Penny drove us home from The Cheesecake Factory, and she was driving _far _too fast… then we came up to the apartment, and _you _wouldn't let me check my mail and then I –"

He stilled, his conversation with Amy in their kitchen flooding back to him in a whir. Had he _actually_ suggested they marry? Heart starting to race, he looked from her red plaid pajama bottoms to the floor, biting his lip. His previously odd dream was starting to make more sense…

Amy wrung the cloth between her hands and laid it neatly across the basin rim, avoiding his eye contact. She knew he had just recalled their late night chat about marriage, and had no idea how he would react.

"Amy, I…" He began, but before he could continue she felt herself being rocked by another wave of nausea, and threw herself back to the floor, hurling again. Grimacing at the sound, Sheldon gingerly picked up the stray strands of hair from around her neck and held them back. She groaned in frustration, placing a palm on the cool tiles.

"You're really sick… let me go and get you some water…" Sheldon mumbled, placing her fine hair in a neat line down her back and shuffling past her partially limp form.

The kitchen was dark and cold, and he didn't bother turning on a light. Filling the glass with tepid tap water, he stared at the mint green tiled splashback, breathing rapidly. What had possessed him to tell her that, after he had only just relaxed into the groove of the two of them living together? After he had sworn that there was no need for marriage at this stage?

He growled at the glass and scurried back down the hallway, hearing her throw up again. It was going to be a long night…

* * *

><p>The following morning, Amy awoke to the sound of a persistent knock at her apartment door, and groaned as the sunshine burned her sensitive eyes. Flailing her arms across Sheldon's bed, she felt around for him, only to find a tattered note on the pillow beside her.<p>

_Amy,_

_I have called your lab to let them know you will not be in today as you are unwell. Despite my supposed 'hangover', I have gone to work as usual and will be back this afternoon. I have also requested that Penny check in on you some time later this morning. _

_We will talk tonight._

_Sheldon_

Amongst her throbbing headache, the words swam on the page, blurred, and she drew her slender legs over the side of the bed. Sheldon's plaid pajama top sat carefully folded on the dresser, and she snatched it and pulled it over her head, the neckline slinking off her shoulder.

The irritating knocking continued, echoing in her ears. "Amy! This is the last time I am knocking, after this I am going to have to call… somebody…"

Amy trudged her way down the hallway and over to the door, swinging it open to find her newly engaged best friend glaring at her. "Don't you have a spare key?"

Penny huffed and pushed past her, grabbing her hand and depositing her on the couch. "Yes, however it is currently… unavailable to me…"

"You lost it again, didn't you?"

The blonde drew a tartan blanket up around Amy's shoulders and sighed. "Yes, okay, I did. And you look awful."

Amy shot her a sarcastic smile, running a hand over her matted hair. "Oh, jeez, thanks…"

Making her way over to the kitchen, Penny filled the kettle and set it to boil. She turned back to her pale looking friend and folded her arms across her chest. "Amy, you didn't have _that_ much to drink last night…"

"I know, I know, I don't hold my alcohol well either…" She responded, waving her hand dismissively. "Although Sheldon drank just as much as me, if not more, and yet he's fine… perhaps I consumed something questionable at dinner…"

Penny eyed her carefully, pouring boiling water into two mugs, a tea bag in each. "Maybe… when did you get sick…?"

"Um," Amy squinted, trying to recall her first episode of nausea, "one thirty in the morning?"

There was another knock at the door, and Penny nodded, heading over to open the door. "Hey, Bernadette… come on in…"

The tiny strawberry blonde bounced through the doorway, and frowned when she spotted Amy on the couch. "Oh, Amy – you don't look well at all!"

"So I'm told," the brunette said dryly, drawing her knees up and shivering, "what are you doing here?"

Bernadette propped herself next to Amy on the couch, adjusting her red glasses. "I called Penny this morning to see if she wanted to do lunch, and she said you were sick and she had to check in on you, so I thought I'd come over and see the two of you!"

Amy tried a smile and looked across at Penny. "You didn't _have _to check on me, you could have gone for lunch…"

Penny brought over the cups of tea, plus an extra for Bernadette, and took a seat in the armchair. "No, no – I did… Sheldon threatened me with disconnection of the Wi-Fi, so…"

Bernadette smiled brightly at Amy, rubbing her leg supportively. "It's okay, we won't stay long; we'll let you get some rest." She turned her attention to Penny, eyes sparkling. "Now, let me see that rock!"

Laughing, Penny held out her left hand with an excited smile. Scooting across the couch, Bernadette cooed at the shining diamond, sitting proudly atop her slim ring finger. "Oh, Penny, it's beautiful! Do you like it?"

"I _love _it! To be honest, I'm still surprised Leonard got it so right… I've never told him what I like…" Penny said, tilting her hand from side to side, watching as it caught the light. Amy smirked; so she'd guided him well after all...

"What are you smiling at?" Penny said, poking her in the arm.

Amy rolled her head to the side to look at her, sinking deeper and deeper into Sheldon's spot. She would have to move before he got home. "Oh, nothing… just how apparently awesome I am at assisting with the selection of engagement rings…"

Bernadette's eyes snapped up to her. "You helped pick this?" She breathed, baffled.

Amy nodded proudly. "Sure did, and I'm glad you like it, bestie."

"I love it." Penny repeated, gazing down at it once more.

"So… how do you feel about it all? You're _engaged!_" Bernadette gushed, crossing one petite leg over the other.

Penny took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, flabbergasted. "It's weird… to think I'm actually engaged to a guy…"

Amy's eyes were growing heavy, and she adjusted her head to huddle into the pillow. "Weird?"

"Yeah," Penny replied slowly, "I've gotta say, at first I sort of panicked… my first reaction was no…"

Bernadette scrunched her nose up. "Really?"

Penny nodded, sandy waves tousling. "It's just such a huge commitment, you know… I had to remind myself that I love the guy, and that it's all going to be okay…"

"It's not that big of a commitment," Amy cut in, mumbling, "you live together, what's going to change?"

"Are you sure you made the right decision?" Bernadette asked quietly, concerned.

"Oh, yeah," Penny said with a smile, "and you're right, Ames, nothing is really going to change… I don't even have to change my name if I don't want to."

"Exactly!" Bernadette chirped, taking a sip of her tea. "And you get to add another beautiful dress to your wardrobe, and another pair of shoes... oh, it's just so exciting!"

Amy sighed dreamily. "Another big day…"

"Hey, maybe you'll be next, Ames!" Penny said enthusiastically, crossing her legs under her in her seat.

Sleepily, Amy looked over at her, recollection of her drunken conversation with Sheldon making her chuckle. "Maybe…"

"What do you mean 'maybe'?" Bernadette asked sharply. "And what's so funny?"

"When Sheldon and I got home last night, he told me that he thinks marrying me 'isn't such a silly idea after all.'" Amy replied nonchalantly, tucking the blanket under her chin.

The two blondes gaped at her. "He said _what?_" Penny spluttered, sitting forward.

"Did he mean it? Was he asking you to marry him?" Bernadette asked, voice high pitched.

Amy rolled her eyes, struggling with her own confused emotions on the matter. "He was drunk, and no, he wasn't asking me, rather he was suggesting that by marrying me I would be bound to him 'by law'." She huffed, uncertain as to whether she felt touched or goaded by the suggestion. "When I was sick during the night, he remembered what he had said, and 'freaked out', somewhat."

Bernadette blinked at her, shaking her head slowly. "And you haven't spoken about it since?"

"Nope." Amy said tiredly, rubbing her eyes and feeling the nausea return to her.

Next to her, Penny pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "What on earth is he playing at…"

Suddenly the urge to vomit racked Amy's body, and she tossed the blanket back, racing down the hall and into the bathroom. Retching once again into the bowl, she groaned as her head thumped. Through the bathroom door, she could hear her friends murmuring quietly and strained to hear them.

"…and how effective is it really supposed to be?"

"…ninety-nine percent, at least that's what we were told…"

"…well, should you take her to the doctor or shall I?"

* * *

><p>"Ok, so who's in for a trip to the comic book store tonight? Stuart has just gotten in a new range of action figures to celebrate the release of <em>The Avengers<em> – I want to get down there before all of the little Thors are sold out!" Raj chirped, taking a bite out of his chicken roll, awaiting his friends' reply.

Across the table, Howard jiggled in his seat. "Oh yeah, so in – I want to try and get me a tiny Scarlett Johansson, or Hulk…"

The four men were sitting in the cafeteria at Cal Tech, munching away on their lunch. Leonard beamed from ear to ear, still high from the rush of proposing for Penny. "Totally in – Sheldon, you happy if we swing by the comic book store on the way home? Ah, who am I kidding – of course you are!"

Sheldon looked up from poking a stray pea around his plate, eyes unfocused. "Hmm?"

Leonard frowned at him and leant forward, layers of clothing bunching around his arms. "You okay, buddy? You seem kind of distant over there…"

Sheldon sighed, forlorn. "I had a rough night."

Raj waved his fork at him pointedly from across the table. "Oh, dude, you were _such _a hoot last night – drunk Sheldon is the best…"

Howard nodded, sniggering. "You know you shouldn't have come in to work with a hangover…"

"No, it's not that," Sheldon shook his head, "I'm just tired…"

Leonard, who could tell something was amiss, cocked his head to one side. "What's up?"

Chewing his lower lip, Sheldon hesitated before speaking. "I may or may not have suggested to Amy in my intoxicated state that we get married…"

There was a chorus of groans around the table and Leonard shook his head. "You _proposed _to Amy?"

"No!" He snapped, throwing his fork onto his plate and crossing his arms. "I merely pointed out that perhaps marriage would be applicable to our certain situation… to make everything more 'official'…"

"What did she say?" Raj asked, smirking.

Sheldon sighed, looking down. "She told me that I was drunk and that we couldn't discuss it… and then she was acting very strangely about the whole incident for the remainder of the evening… it was so stupid of me – do you see what alcohol can do to people?"

"You need to talk to her," Leonard said wisely, eyes wide, "_trust me_."

Breezing over Leonard's comment, Sheldon continued. "And then she was up _all _night throwing up, she was so ill… I called in sick on her behalf."

Leonard blinked at him. "Amy didn't really have that much to drink…"

"Yeah…" Raj agreed, squinting in recollection. "I think I may have stolen a few of her champagne sunrises… man they are good, and not that high in calories…"

Sheldon dabbed his mouth with the napkin, indifferent. "In any case, Amy was very ill and I advised her to stay home…"

Howard chuckled and took a sip of his Coke. "Maybe she's an eggplant… now _there's _a good reason to get married!"

Certain – _beyond _certain – that somehow his Vulcan hearing had failed him, Sheldon cocked his head at the engineer. "I'm sorry – _an eggplant?_"

Eyes crossing from Leonard to Raj, Howard dropped his neck slightly, brows creased in confusion. "Sheldon, I said maybe Amy is _pregnant._"

Still, the word did not register, simply sat, stagnant, in Sheldon's mind. He smiled, too widely. "Pregnant? That is highly improbable, given that Amy is –"

"Sheldon," Leonard said firmly, "whilst the probability is extremely low, there is a chance –"

Suddenly Sheldon could hear a screeching, ear-splitting infant in his ear, and _that word_ began to echo. He pushed himself away from the lunch table roughly and stood, fists balled. "No!"

The three scientists gawked at him, astonished by his panic. Leonard spoke gently. "Sheldon… it's okay, just go home and talk to Amy, it's probably nothing…"

He felt as though his head was swimming, pounding. _I can't handle this._

Storming out of the cafeteria and down the corridor, he rushed into his office, slamming the door shut behind him. Throwing himself into his desk chair, he leant forward and cradled his head in his hands.

…_maybe Amy is pregnant…_

Breathing heavily, Sheldon squeezed his eyes shut tightly, willing it all to leave him. A _pregnancy. _A _baby._ A hungry, screaming, vomiting, pooping bundle of joy. "I think _not…_" He muttered to himself through gritted teeth.

…_completely irresponsible – imagine if Amy fell pregnant…_

A little version of him, a little version of her… a progeny, a genius. A genius who would come and take _his_ Amy; her time, her body, her affection…

…_highly improbable…_

He stared blankly at the blurred keyboard in front of him, feeling his heart race. Absently, he stroked his fingers across the keys, smooth against his fingertips, and began to type 'baby'.

…_there is a chance…_

Tiny infants with big, bright eyes and fair, porcelain skin graced his screen, all rolls and wrinkles and round shapes. A blue eyed girl stared straight back at him, smiling, and gripped her teeny fingers around her mother's thumb.

…_she's going to make a good momma one day…_

Instantly, he felt as though he was back in Penny's apartment, gazing silently from the doorway as Amy cradled the small child in her arms. The sobbing, teary eyed child nuzzled into Amy's neck, blinking her bright green eyes at him. _Amy's _eyes.

_Why do I feel so calm?_

Shaking his head sharply, he hastily closed the window and spun to stare at his board, scribbled with equations. Physics, he was safe with physics.

_I need to speak with Amy._

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, or more specifically, that prevening, Sheldon traipsed his way back into his apartment, mind drowning in a tidal wave of thoughts. He had achieved <em>nothing <em>for the remainder of the day, and had instead spent his time mathematically equating the possibility of Amy falling pregnant, pondering their life with a child, and fighting with himself as to whether to talk to her.

He had decided he would see how things panned out, and that drove him mad.

Creaking open the door to the apartment, he sighed when he spotted that Amy was not in the living area, nor the kitchen. Perhaps she was in bed, or with Penny. Placing his bag down, he stripped his jacket from his body and hung it over the back of his computer chair, and then proceeded to straighten the paperwork laying messily on his desk.

_You're stalling._

"Fine." He spat out loud, spinning on his heel for the bedroom. Quietly, he edged into the room, heart racing as his eyes fell upon his girlfriend, curled up in the sheets in a deep sleep. He perched on the very edge of the bed, careful to avoid her legs, and slid a brown strand of hair away from her face softly.

"Sheldon?" She said croakily, stirring from her slumber. "Hey…"

He bit his lip. "I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted to see how you were feeling… any better?"

Amy blinked deliberately a few times, attempting to focus her gaze on him. "A little, yeah. Penny and Bernadette took me to the doctors…"

His heart skipped a beat. "What did they say?"

"Not a whole lot, really… that I could have a virus or food poisoning, but he ran some blood tests and told me he'd send out the results in a couple of days…" She replied casually, pushing herself up to lean against the headboard.

Sheldon swallowed, considering asking her if he had requested she take a pregnancy test, but found the words became stuck in his throat. He breathed unsteadily, watching as she wrapped the sheet around her fingers absently. She looked up. "Sheldon… about last night…"

"Oh!" He burst, having completely forgotten about their previous conversation. "Yes, about last night –"

"I understand that it was the alcohol talking, and the excitement of Leonard and Penny getting married… so maybe we should just forget it." She interrupted, looking him in the eye.

It took him a moment to respond, uncertain of what he wanted to say. "Alright…" She gave him a tiny, false smile, and looked back down into her lap. It did not go unnoticed by him. "Amy… I want you to know that I _do _want to marry you one day…"

Her eyes snapped up to him, a smirk tugging at her lips. "I know…"

A moment of comfortable silence settled in, and Sheldon exhaled deeply. In that room, on his Star Trek sheets, with her, he felt so serene, so content… did he really want to disturb that?

Drawing a hand along her cheek, he stood up and headed for the doorway. "Let me make you some soup…"

* * *

><p>Two days passed by quickly, and Amy began to improve, heading back to work the following day. She had arrived at the lab early that morning, eager to catch up, and had spent the day focusing solely on her work – she needed a distraction. Mid afternoon had set in, and she had decided to call it a day a little earlier than normal – to get home and cook Sheldon a nice dinner, and try to find out what was going on in that brain of his.<p>

Sighing, she pulled into her parking spot at their apartment building and pulled on the handbrake. Since getting sick, Sheldon had been great; bringing her food and water, ensuring she was always comfortable, never too hot nor too cold… yet he was acting _strangely. _He was constantly making idle chit-chat, or making them watch documentaries, or going over to visit Leonard; the man, quite simply, was avoiding her.

Throwing her bags over her shoulder, Amy stepped out of her car and made her way into the building, rummaging for her key in her handbag. The long day was catching up with her unrecovered body, and she felt herself grow dizzy, stopping on the spot. Taking a long breath, she shook her head as she recalled her conversation with her two girlfriends days earlier.

After vomiting violently for near ten minutes, Bernadette had bundled her up in warm clothes and announced that they were taking her to see a doctor. She had been reluctant, huddling in the back of Penny's car with a pout, insisting that she had a hangover. Her two friends began asking her odd questions; how long had she been sick, was she late for her period…

The nature of their queries had soared over her sick head, and the two friends took her in to see a local doctor, explaining her symptoms for her. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of beating around some kind of elusive bush, Penny told the doctor that she feared Amy may be pregnant.

Immediately, Amy had started to panic. _Pregnant? _She couldn't possibly be, the uncomfortable rod in her arm was enough to remind her of that. Yet, the doctor gave her a small stick, and sent her off to the bathroom, directing her to urinate on it and return it to him.

Inconclusive, he had told them, the result is inconclusive, which is unusual, so a blood test would be required. The balding, thin man had looked at her with a friendly smile, telling her that the odds were slim, and chances were she had a good dose of food poisoning and nothing more. She trusted him. At this point in her life, she didn't intend to have a child, so she had attempted to pretend like her issue did not exist.

Dismissing the memory from her mind, she opened their mail box with a yawn, pulling out a few letters and skimming over them as she ascended the stairs. A gas bill, some junk mail, a letter for Sheldon with an eerily familiar gold emblem in one corner and a letter from the doctor's rooms.

Stopping dead on the stairwell, she stared at the letters in her hand and felt the oxygen being sucked from her lungs, clasping a hand over her mouth. Heart racing, hands shaking, she raced up to the apartment. _Oh, my God…_

* * *

><p>"Well, Sheldon, I'm surprised you didn't just call Amy to come and get you when I told you I had to stay back at the lab this afternoon!" Leonard commented to his tall best friend as they walked up the stairs to their apartments, shuffling his bag across his body.<p>

Sheldon looked down at Leonard and sighed dramatically. "This may come as a surprise to you, Leonard, but I actually had some work to catch up on, so your staying back late was convenient."

Leonard looked at him, noting his clenched jaw. "Work to catch up on? Come on, Sheldon – what's going on? Is this about Amy, because I told you to talk to her –"

"No, I assure you, everything is just _fine _with Amy and I." Sheldon snapped, keeping his eyes on the stairs.

"Okay…" Leonard responded slowly. "So… did you guys want to come over for dinner tonight? We could just order some take out and watch TV…"

They had made it to the top of the stairs, and were standing outside of the out of order elevator. "Let me talk to Amy and I'll let you know." Sheldon replied, and shuffled over to his door, opening it.

As he entered, he spotted Amy sitting on the sink side of the island bench, facing him, fiddling with something in her hands. The apartment was dark, and in the dim half-light Sheldon watched her eyes lock with his and her chest rise in a silent exhale. Something was wrong.

"Hello…" He said hesitantly, closing the door quietly behind him and making his way across to her slowly.

"Hi," she said gently, expressionless, "Sheldon… I need to talk to you…"

The stress, the fear of the past two days overran his body and he felt sick, positive that his suspicions were now correct. Before he could think twice, he began to speak; hurriedly, loudly. "Oh Lord, you _are _pregnant! What are we going to do, I don't know if I can handle a little person running around here, I just can't –"

Amy's jaw had dropped, face pale. "Sheldon, I-"

"- and this apartment is _hardly _suitable for an infant, how will we possibly be able to accommodate another being? And what about all of the sex we've been having, I don't want that to stop, I've just gotten used to it and –"

"Sheldon, stop!" She cut in, shaking her head slowly, face unreadable. "I am not pregnant!"

_Not pregnant_. "You're not?"

"No!" She said, eyes wide. "I got the blood test results back this afternoon, they were negative… how did you know?"

_Not pregnant._ "I didn't…" He stuttered, frozen on the spot in the centre of the room. "Wolowitz suggested you may have been… and I've been obsessing over it ever since…"

Amy breathed slowly. "Is that why you've been acting so strangely…"

_Not pregnant. _"I didn't know what to do… whether to talk to you, whether to wait, whether…" Trailing off, he felt a burning lump rise in his throat, and he squeezed his eyes shut. _She's not pregnant._

"Sheldon…" Amy said softly, breaking him out of his spiral. "Are you alright?"

He opened his eyes to look at her, in all of her beauty; hair loosely pulled back, black glasses framing her emerald eyes, face riddled with concern. Slowly, he nodded and continued over to her, taking a seat across from her in a barstool.

Her eyes followed his every move. "You certainly don't seem alright."

Sheldon swallowed, the lump in his throat persistent. Was this… disappointment? Relief? "I have spent the past two days trying to get my head around the possibility of a baby _growing _inside of you." He met her gaze. "I don't really know how I feel."

Amy tilted her head, apprehensively curious. "Did you _want _me to be pregnant?"

The same question was ringing in his own mind. "I didn't think I did…" He felt light-headed, and looked up at her. "Did you?"

She pursed her lips, eyes flickering. "I want my time with you first."

There was a moment of silence while the couple processed their situation. Sheldon looked up to find Amy fiddling with an envelope in her lap, tracing her fingers around the edges of the white paper. He trailed his eyes up to her face, which was now – once again – unreadable. "I thought you already received your results from the doctor?"

"I did," she replied, biting her lip, "this is something else… it's for you."

She placed the envelope face down onto the counter and slid it across to him. Staring at the back of it, he frowned and looked up at her skeptically. She took a deep breath and held it, giving him a tiny nod.

Tentatively, he turned the envelope over and felt every inch of breath leave his lungs. His body went weak and he felt the lump return to his throat, drawing a hand over his mouth. There, staring back at him from the left-hand corner, was a stamp of a golden bust. Alfred Nobel's bust.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't move. Every moment of his career, hell, every moment of his life before he met Amy had been spent pining for this moment. The little gold emblem stared back at him, begging him to open it, and the burning in his throat got the better of him, causing him to choke. "Fuck." He breathed airily, feeling his eyes sting.

Amy burst out in what sounded like a sob and a cackle. "Open it!"

His fingers felt numb as he pried the lip of the envelope away, peeling it open slowly and drawing the single-page letter out. There was his name, his achievements, his _nomination_.

"I've been nominated." He said blankly, staring wide-eyed at the letter. A huge, almost painful smile cracked across his face, and he choked another sob of joy. "Amy, I've been nominated for a Nobel Prize!"

Suddenly she was in front of him, tearing the letter from his hands and thrusting it onto the bench, cupping his face to look at her. She was smiling, that blinding smile he loved, and he kissed her fiercely, letting go of everything. He felt his emotions, usually so controlled, overflow, and he fell into her chest, sobbing silently.

Amy stroked his head, hushing him quietly, struggling to contain her excitement. "I know… when I first saw the letter I knew…"

Sheldon relaxed into the crook of her neck, breathing deeply. This was too much. "Amy, this is what I have strived for during my entire career…" He trailed off, feeling giddy. "I know it's only a nomination, but –"

Amy pulled away from him, and drew her eyes down to meet his. "_Only _a nomination? Sheldon, this is _incredible!_"

Sliding off the bar stool, a little unsteadily, Sheldon gathered her up in his arms. Who would have thought a year ago that he would be living with his girlfriend, discussing issues like marriage and children, and accepting nomination for a _Nobel Prize?_

Against his chest, Amy was beaming. "We need to celebrate – what do you want to do?"

"I think," He began slowly, looking down at her, "that I want to go and gloat to the guys, and then I want to bring you back here and show you just how happy I am about being nominated…"

Pushing away, she grinned at him and took his hand, leading him for the door. "Done. Let's go!"

**A/N: **Just a couple of quick things – firstly, I have NO IDEA what Sheldon could have been nominated for a Nobel Prize for, soooo let's just pretend it's something pretty awesome – as I've said, my science knowledge is TERRIBLE. Also, because I'm sure someone will be smart about it, I know it's not normal for a doctor to mail out blood test results, but for the sake of this story, they do. Haha. ANYWAY! Please remember to review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	32. Chapter 32

**Title:** The Relationship Complexities  
><strong>Description:<strong> When blossoming Amy Farrah Fowler starts to become more comfortable with herself and the complex world around her, will Sheldon Cooper be able to hold on? Set in current season, featuring S/A, L/P and H/B pairings.  
><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alright, chapter 23 is here. I won't say much in the author's note up here, but there will be a big one at the end, so please – read, enjoy and review!  
>Also – please be sure to check out the lovely <em><strong>Atabey Alfonso's 'Cowgirls &amp; Indians'<strong>_, a beautifully written one-shot based around the Missy and Raj relationship from my earlier chapters. It is fantastic – thank you, Atabey!  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own The Big Bang Theory, or any of its related characters.

**Chapter 32**

Five large pair of eyes looked up at Sheldon and Amy from the couch in their apartment, waiting anxiously for an explanation after being forced together for an emergency group gathering late in the evening. Amy had done a quick ring-around, insisting that everyone meet at their apartment for some 'urgent news'.

Penny, who was sitting on the edge of the armchair, squeezed next to Leonard, looked nervous. "Ames… what's going on?" Her tone was suggestive, and her eyes slid across to Bernadette, who stared wide-eyed back.

"Yes, Amy, what _is _going on?" Bernadette pressed, blinking at her. "Is this to do with the _appointment _we attended yesterday?"

Leonard frowned, looking between the two blondes. "What appointment?"

Taking a large sip of wine and sinking into a computer seat, Raj cocked his head. "_Oh…_ is this about what Howard was saying yesterday, something about having a bun in the – ow!" Howard had promptly trodden on his foot, glaring at him. "A bun on his plate… for lunch… yesterday…"

Sheldon, who was towering over all of them, scrunched his nose up in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about –"

Howard cut him off, averting the conversation to Amy. "Whatever it is, Amy, it's important enough for you to drag us over here, sit us down and give us all a glass of celebratory wine – which I can see _you are also drinking_…"

Amy swished the golden liquid in her glass and nodded slowly, aware of their concern. "For the record, our very urgent and important news has nothing to do with the occupancy of my uterus – I am _not _pregnant, I merely had a nasty case of food poisoning."

There was a universal sigh of relief from the group, and Penny raised her glass. "Well – that's enough to toast to –"

"No," Sheldon interrupted, a smirk tugging at his lips, "whilst it is… fortunate… that Amy is not with child – and I'll thank you _all _for being nosey Rosies on the matter – I have news that I believe you will all find… interesting…"

The physicist held out his nomination letter at arm's length, chest protruding proudly and a haughty look painted across his face. From the armchair, Leonard leant forward and squinted, pushing his glasses up his nose, and then leapt out of his seat, snatching the paper from Sheldon's grasp. "Oh, my God, you've nominated for _Nobel Prize?_"

Howard and Raj were quickly out of their own seats, peering wide-eyed and jaw-dropped over Leonard's shoulder. Howard shook his head, eyes scanning over the paperwork. "No way…"

"You have got to be kidding…" Raj breathed, shaking his head.

"That's right fellas; Dr. Sheldon Cooper has finally been nominated for a _well _overdue and _highly _deserved Nobel Prize!" He beamed from ear to ear, voice loud. Pointing around at his three colleagues, who were still gaping at the letter in Leonard's hands, he laughed. "And _none _of you have!"

"Sheldon, be nice…" Amy warned, and he pouted at her. "It's not their fault that they don't match up to your brilliance…"

Penny had tossed her arms around Sheldon's neck, who stiffened and patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "Oh, Sheldon this is _wonderful!_ Congratulations! I know how much this Nobel Peace Prize is to you and –"

Sheldon pursed his lips and cut her off. "No, Penny, not Nobel Peace Prize – I have been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Physics –"

She pushed him away and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah… still, congratulations."

"Thank you." He said brightly, smiling across at Amy.

Bernadette took the letter from Leonard's hands and glanced over it, smiling happily. "Sheldon, this is really something… how incredible! Congratulations!" She glared at Howard, who had his lips pursed. "Howie, don't be sore - shake the man's hand and tell him congratulations!"

Somewhat reluctantly, Howard shook Sheldon's hand. "Congratulations, Sheldon. Though remember – I'm still an astronaut…"

"You too, sunshine." Bernadette snapped at Raj, ushering him forward.

The astrophysicist nodded solemnly and held out his hand. "Congratulations… and I hope that should our work that we did together be mentioned that you will make mention of my name…"

"Unlikely, but thank you!" Sheldon chirped, smiling at his now sulking friend.

Leonard took a deep breath and looked at Sheldon. "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order…"

"They most certainly are…" Sheldon added arrogantly.

Leonard shook his hand tightly, slapping him on his arm and giving him a warm smile. "Congratulations, buddy, you earned it."

Whilst pleased at his friends' wishes, Sheldon frowned. "That's it? No tears over my victorious defeat? No challenges of my intellect or suggestions that I may be undeserving? Which I most certainly am _not…_"

Howard flopped back onto the couch, giving him a half smile. "Nope… Leonard's right, you earned it."

"You _did, _Sheldon," Penny confirmed, smiling, "you deserve this more than anyone."

Sheldon nodded. "I know. I just wasn't expecting such a warm response…"

"I say we order pizza." Raj said abruptly, extracting his phone from his pocket. "I haven't had pizza in _so long_…"

Leonard grinned and held up his wine glass. "To Sheldon!"

The group clinked their glasses, bar Sheldon who was having his standard Diet Coke, and chatted happily, excited for their friend's achievement. Before long, pizza was delivered and the group sat around the coffee table chewing quietly.

"I still cannot believe you were nominated…" Raj mused airily, swinging from side to side on his seat.

"Think about this Sheldon – in a little over a year you could be at that awards ceremony in Stockholm…" Leonard said excitedly.

Sheldon tilted his head, the idea more overwhelming than he had expected. "Yes…"

"Don't you boys go getting Sheldon's hopes up just yet, there are many, many nominees and –" Bernadette began, setting her plate down.

"Getting my hopes up? Oh, Bernadette, I do not need hope." Sheldon said confidently, taking a bite out of his pizza.

Amy shook her head and raised her eyebrows at the strawberry blonde microbiologist. "His head may not fit through the door though…"

"Hey!" Sheldon said with a grin, poking her in the leg. "Don't you be mean…"

She poked her tongue out at him flirtatiously and he smirked, playful blue eyes averting to his dinner plate.

Penny chewed up a large mouthful and swallowed, looking around at her friends. "Well, I also have an announcement…"

"Oh, is it about the wedding? Do you want me to be the Maid of Honour? I know I did such a _brilliant _job at Bernie's wedding…" Amy gushed, shuffling to the edge of her seat.

Laughing at her eager friend, Penny shook her head. "No, this isn't about the wedding - and Ames, you know Bernadette is going to be the Maid of Honour at my wedding and I'll be the Maid of Honour at yours; that was the deal –" Amy glared at the side of Bernadette's head, huffing. "- anyway, my news is very exciting, and I'm sure that both Sheldon and Raj will be _very _pleased…"

Sheldon's head snapped up and he looked at Penny, skeptical. "Why…?"

Raj was silent, watching uncertainly. Penny grinned and sat up straighter in her spot. "Just this afternoon, I got Missy a job at The Cheesecake Factory!"

Amy and Bernadette were instantly gushing with excitement. "No way! That's great!"

Sheldon looked across at Penny, puzzled. "Why would Missy want to work at The Cheesecake Factory…?"

"She's moving to Pasadena!" Penny finished excitedly, only to be enveloped in a big hug by Raj, who was beaming.

"Really? Oh my cow! This is _amazing! _Has she found an apartment yet, because she can always stay with me –"

"Hold on," Sheldon said irritably, "my sister simply _cannot _move to Pasadena, the social repercussions of having a family member who is also friends with people within my own social group living within a five mile radius is –"

"Awesome!" Raj jumped in. "Face it, Cooper – your sister has a big crush on me and you can't do anything about it!"

Penny suppressed a chuckle. "No, Raj, she hasn't… and she was planning on asking Sheldon and Amy if she could stay with them until she found something suitable but I _think_ she may have decided that would be a bad idea…"

"Oh, I would have loved for Missy to stay –" Amy began, looking disappointed.

"No, you wouldn't." Sheldon interrupted flatly.

"So," Penny continued, "Missy was thinking that perhaps she could stay with you…"

Raj was already out of his chair and heading for the hallway, phone in hand. "I am going to call her right now!"

The door slammed shut and the apartment was quiet, the remainder of the group waiting for an explosion from Sheldon. Instead, he stared intently at the nomination letter placed carefully on the side table next to him, took a deep breath and a bite out of his pizza.

Amy glanced across at Bernadette and Howard, who were suppressing smiles themselves. Leonard cleared his throat and reached for another piece of pizza. "Well, that's great Penny – I'm sure Missy is very appreciative!"

"Oh, yeah, my boss was real happy I found someone; she's going to take over some of my shifts so I can work on finding some more auditions… isn't that right, honey?" Penny looked across sweetly at Leonard, who grinned back.

"Oh, well this will be lovely… we four girls can go out and dance and drink and have fun…" Bernadette cooed. "It will be great!"

"Maybe I can be the Maid of Honour at _her_ wedding…" Amy grumbled, and was shot a glare by both Penny and Sheldon.

Raj burst back through the door. "In three weeks from now, I'm going to have the stunning, seductive Missy Cooper living in my apartment – how cool is _that? _I will cook her dinner, and we will play Scrabble and watch old Hollywood movies… and perhaps things will get a little spicy, if you know what I mean…"

"The only thing that's going to get 'spicy' is one of your ridiculous Mexican taco recipes… and there is no universe in which my sister can play Scrabble…" Sheldon grumbled, glaring at him.

Howard grinned at his best friend and glanced at Sheldon, eager to get a rise out of him. "That's awesome, Raj, but where on earth are you going to have her sleep? You only have one bedroom, and you can't sleep on the couch for what could possibly be weeks, months…"

"Maybe after a little while we could share…" Raj said, cracking a cheeky smile.

Sheldon looked between the two men and glared, jaw clenched. "Alright, that's it – out!"

With that, he was out of his chair and ushering his guests out the door, Leonard and Penny included. "Take your pizza and go to Leonard and Penny's." He demanded.

"Oh, come on Sheldon, we were just joking –"

"We didn't mean anything by it –"

"Sheldon, you're the one who invited us over here –"

"Out!" He ordered, and slammed the door behind them, leaning up against it.

Amy watched from the couch, eyebrow raised. "A little overdramatic, don't you think?"

His eyes shot to her and suddenly his face was unreadable. Crossing the room faster than she could process, he grabbed her hand and tugged her up. "Not at all."

"Sheldon, what are you –" He pulled her down the hallway and into their room, catching her lips as he pushed the door shut. He kissed her fiercely, urgently, yanking his t-shirt over his slender torso and tossing it aside.

Breaking away from her, he began to untuck her blouse from the top of her skirt, hastily. "Showing you how happy I am about my nomination…"

Flicking open each button, he growled at the final stud which was proving difficult to undo, and instead tore it impatiently. He pushed the light fabric off her shoulders and dotted her neck with tingling kisses, and she shivered beneath his touch, taken by his fervor. Continuing the trail along her collarbone, he snaked his hand around her and unsnapped her bra strap with the flick of his wrist and tapped her back onto the bed behind them.

She smirked up at him, wearing nothing but her skirt and underwear. "You've been practicing."

His pants were already over his hips and he crawled over her, boyish grin gracing his features. "I may have been…"

Bending his neck to her once again, he pressed his lips to hers, and she felt her breath escape her all over again, rendering her near useless. With one hand planted beside her head and the other bunching her skirt around her waist, he ground his hips against her deliberately. Pulling away, he brought his mouth to her ear. "I believe I owe you a favour."

Amy's eyes shot open wide as he slid down her naked chest, nipping at her flesh as he went. Finally, he reached the bundle of fabric at her waist and hooked his long fingers under the edge, shimmying the skirt over her hips, capturing her panties with it. His every touch was suddenly electric; hands grazing the outline of her calf and dainty ankles as he knelt on the hardwood floor in front of her.

Pushing up on her elbows, she looked at him as his eyes wandered the length of her naked, vulnerable body, and she bit her lip nervously, drawing her knees together bashfully. He tilted his head and pried them apart gently, and she exhaled deeply, anxiously as she felt his eyes on her. "Are you sure, Sheldon?" She whispered, frightened that it would be too much, too difficult.

Tearing his gaze away, he settled his focus on her, blue eyes dark. He sucked in a long breath and licked his lower lip, making her heart skip a tiny beat. Descending his head toward her aching centre, he ran the palms of his hands across her stomach and along the outside of her thigh, settling them underneath her knees. Sliding her body closer to him, he gently pecked the soft skin of her inner thigh, and she felt her heart race as she felt his warm breath against her. "I owe you." He repeated.

Tantalizingly slowly, he drew one long finger down the swell of her lips, slipping it inside her and curling it gently, and she gasped, eyes rolling back in her head. Gently, he teased her with his hands, flicking his thumb across her sensitive bud, as he so expertly knew how, making her moan for more. And then suddenly, the movement stopped. Amy exhaled, momentarily relieved and taking the opportunity to catch her breath, but he was not done. In one swift movement, she felt his lips press against her wet heat, and she cried out, grasping the sheets between her fingers.

Softly, delicately, he kissed her in the most intimate of ways; touching her like no one else had, no one else would. Lips, tongue, fingers… every movement he made elicited a moan, a wriggle of her hips, and she ran a hand through his tousled hair. Each flick of his tongue, each stroke became more eager, and she could feel herself nearing the brink, so agonizingly close. Ever-so-softly, he groaned against her in pleasure, the vibrations tingling up her spine and sending her over the edge. Clenching around him, she reached her own climax, crying his name.

As her breathing stabilized and she came down from her high, he pulled away and looked up at her, face flushed and lips swollen. "Was that satisfactory?"

It was one of the most erotic things Amy had ever seen, and she found herself unable to speak, nodding her head instead. Pushing up, she pulled him on top of her, clawing at his briefs, tearing them from his perfect form. "Amy –"

"Shhh…" She insisted, and rolled him onto his back, straddling his hips. Flesh to flesh, she gazed down at his surprised face, and felt his erection move against her. Smirking, she leant down to kiss his puffy, moist lips, without a care in the world. "I want to congratulate you on your nomination, Dr. Cooper."

His heavy-lidded eyes clouded with lust at her tempting words, and he raised his hips, pressing against her. She grinned and shook her head, lifting her weight off his slightly. Groaning, he rolled his eyes at her torture, tracing the space between her breasts and down her stomach with his hands. A tiny smirk crossed his lips. "Why, thank you, Dr. Fowler."

Raising an eyebrow at him, she swayed her hips across him, teasing him. Sheldon gasped at the contact. "Amy." He said sternly, placing both hands firmly on her hips.

The tension in the air suddenly heightened, the desperation increasing, and she relented, lowering herself onto him slowly, torturously. Sheldon moaned beneath her, drowning in her heat, her allure. The pleasure was immense, indescribable, and she gasped as he filled her completely. "Sheldon…"

His eyes bore into her, taking in her writhing body, the subtle bounce of her chest as she rolled her hips. Her ministrations became faster, needier, sliding herself along his shaft, puffing as she worked against him. Sitting up, he nibbled at her neck, kneading her breasts with one hand while the other caressed the curve of her rear. "_Please, _Amy."

He drew both hands back to her hips, guiding her, making her work faster, harder. Wrapping her arms loosely around his neck, she gasped as she felt his fingers dig painfully into her flesh, and was certain they would leave bruises. He was so close, she could tell, and it wouldn't take much to tip him over the edge. She drew her lips to his ear, whispering. "Come for me, Sheldon."

Grunting, he bucked his hips beneath her and came, pouring every last ounce of emotion and passion into her, gripping her tightly. The climax rocked his body, and she felt him shudder against her naked chest. Burying his head into the crook of her neck, he planted kisses across her collarbone, whispering her name over and over into her skin. "Thank you…"

* * *

><p>The next morning, Sheldon dragged Amy out of bed early, demanding that she shower, dress, eat and accompany him to an undisclosed location for lunch. The tall physicist was jittery with what seemed to be nervous energy as he instructed Amy exactly where to park her car in the outskirts of Pasadena.<p>

"Here will do nicely, we will have to get out and walk the remainder of the distance." He commented, swinging open the car door and stepping onto the pavement. "Come on, Amy, we don't have very much time…"

She sighed and clambered out of her car, handbag strapped over her shoulder. "Very much time until what, Sheldon?"

"I told you, that information is _undisclosed_, but if you must know, we do not have very much time until I wish to arrive at the secret location. Now, come here…" He waved her over and she joined him on the sidewalk, watching him curiously as he rummaged around in his bag.

"This is ridiculous – if you would just tell me where we are going then we wouldn't have to park so far away and – Sheldon, what are you doing?" She said as he spun her around, her back now to him.

"Just give me one moment…" He muttered, and she sighed, casting her gaze down the busy street, traffic noisy and people bustling. Before she could take in any more of her surroundings, a plain piece of black fabric was drawn over her eyes, obstructing her view and she felt it being secured at the back of her head.

"Sheldon, I am not going to wear a blindfold down the street, think about the imminent dangers of such a task -" She argued, suddenly defenseless and grasping for his arm. The man had done his homework – the blindfold was doing the job perfectly.

Sheldon sighed, and she could hear the exasperation dripping from him voice as he took her hand. "Amy, as you have told me countless times before, you need to trust me. Besides, I have calculated the root to our location to include as little intersections as possible; in fact, according to my study of Google Earth this morning, there shouldn't be any need to cross a road between here and the final destination."

Humming apprehensively, she teetered alongside him, gripping to his arm. "Fine, but please do not allow me to fall over or walk into anything – I'd rather arrive in one piece, thank you."

She heard him chuckle lightly, that chuckle she loved so much and she found herself smiling. "How long is it going to take us to walk there?"

"Around… ten minutes." He replied, lacing his fingers through her own.

The information did not satisfy her and she huffed. "Sheldon, tell me where we're going!"

"No." He said simply, tugging her up the side walk.

"You know I hate surprises, and I know _you _hate surprises, and having to lie about _anything –_"

"Amy," he said gruffly, "stop asking questions and just walk."

They continued on up the street and Amy quietened, listening to the sounds of screeching children and chirping birds and blaring horns. She could feel Sheldon tense beside her, and heard him exhale deeply – something was making him anxious.

Before long, he instructed her to stop and she heard the distinct sound of a door being swung open. "Sheldon, where –"

"Take one regular sized step up please." He directed, holding what she assumed was the door for her. Huffing once again, she did so, and instantly the thick aroma of coffee filled her nostrils. Clasping her hand once again, he slowly led her forward a few more steps, directing her once again to stop.

"Are we in a café, because I can smell coffee, and you know _neither_ of us drink coffee and –"

The screeching sound of a chair being slid across the floor cut her short. "Please, take a seat."

She sat down hesitantly, resting her arms on the table in front of her. Sheldon had not moved from his position behind her, and was fiddling with the tie of her blindfold. The dark fabric fell away from her face and her eyes shot open, taking in the scene before her. "May I buy you a beverage?" He asked her quietly, smirking.

Faded mustard walls lined with mahogany shelving graced her eyes, vibrantly coloured coffee machines and packaging stacked neatly along them. A counter with an outdated cash register sitting atop it and a chalk board with scribbled with menu options sat right in front of her, case filled with freshly baked cakes and pastries. She smiled widely, overwhelmed and attempted to reply with matching cheek. "Tepid water, please."

He brushed her shoulder lightly as he passed her, making his way to the counter. Propping her chin up against her hand, she glanced down at the small silver sign on their table – 'Reserved'. Delicately, she trailed a finger across the top of the cool steel of the sign, and bit her lip, smiling.

Sheldon reappeared, placing a glass of water on the table and slipping into his seat across from her. "Our lunch will be coming shortly."

"Sheldon…" Amy said slowly, watching him with wide eyes, "this is just… just…"

He smiled, a little bashfully, dipping his head. "I've wanted to bring you here for quite some time, but just wanted it to be the right time…"

Amy cocked her head, puzzled. "What's so right about now?"

A dark haired woman swung over to their table, slim arm balancing a tray of sandwiches. "Here you go, darlin'…" The waitress placed a plate in front of each of them, and gave them a tight-lipped smile, blood red lipstick straining. "Anything else I can get you?"

Sheldon gave her a curt nod and false smile. "No, thank you."

The waitress sauntered away, tray under her arm. Amy looked up from her sandwich. "Well… what's so right about now?"

Taking a sip of his iced tea, he blinked at her and shuffled. "Amy… almost three years ago I was blackmailed into this café, into meeting a woman who a poorly structured jumble of algorithms was stating was my perfect mate, and I fully expected to walk straight back out the door as I had entered – haughty, triumphant and as brilliant as ever."

She watched as his blue eyes faltered, glancing toward the door. He chewed the inside of his lower lip softly, and continued. "Now, whilst I am still of the opinion that dating sites are a load of hokum, I most definitely did _not _walk out of here in the same state that I entered." He swallowed, hard, and reached for her hand, brawny fingers wrapping around her own. "Amy… from the moment you spoke to me, I was stunned; I was fascinated by you. Your intellect, your values, they astounded me, and for the first time in my entire life I related to someone, and felt like they related to me in return. _Something_ changed that day, and I walked out that door feeling flabbergasted and tingly… and happier than I had in a very long time."

Amy was holding her breath, gazing into his twinkling blue eyes, hanging on his every word. He swiped the pad of his thumb across the back of her hand softly and smirked. "It didn't take long before Penny had scooped you up under her wing and began poisoning your mind with her unorthodox Nebraskan ways, fueling your baser urges and indulging in the frivolous ways of her lifestyle…" The smirk transformed into a grin, and he shook his head. "But I didn't truly mind, there was something… appealing about this new Amy, because she wasn't so new at all – she was who she wanted to be, and that didn't affect her brilliance one bit…"

She smiled, widely, and squeezed his hand. "Sheldon, I –"

"I'm not finished." He cut in snappily, giving her a tiny glare. "There was a small part of me that witnessed your progression into 'normalcy' and noted that everything I loved you for, everything you defined yourself by, went unchanged. Throughout my entire life, I had been so sure that drawing myself down to the level of others would diminish my superior qualities - turn me into a somewhat 'regular' being – and yet, there you were, living proof that this was not the case."

There was a moment of silence while Sheldon stared at the back of her hand, stroking it somewhat absently. Finally, he locked eyes with her and spoke unsteadily. "I was afraid that in becoming intimate with you, in _loving _you, I would lose myself – my passion for science, my devotion to bettering my mind, my beliefs that I'd held for so long…" He sucked in a breath, pausing. "But I _didn't. _I didn't lose a thing – in fact, I gained so much; trust, intimacy, confidence, happiness. I am a better version of myself, because of you, Amy.

Amy felt emotion wash over her and she ducked her head, reaching for her water and taking a tiny sip. All she had ever wanted was for Sheldon to be happy; for him to understand that loving another human being did not deduct from the brilliant man he was, and he saw that now, because of her.

Sheldon's eyes followed her lowered head, and she knew it was evident that her eyes were glistening with tears. He squeezed her hand, very gently. "I brought you here today because I wanted to thank you, Amy."

A tiny, choked sob slipped from Amy, and she smiled at him, unable to stop. He frowned and clutched her hand in both of his own, tugging her forward slightly. "Oh, no, please don't cry – that was not my intention, I did not mean to upset you! Can I buy you a hot beverage? Perhaps a hot chocolate? With marshmallows? It is a month with the letter 'R' in it, I could have one with you… or cake, we could have cake, I believe they have an excellent selection –"

Amy cut him off, laughing through a mess of tears. "Sheldon, stop – it's okay, I'm okay. I'm just very touched by this whole thing… the café, your words…"

"Oh," Sheldon said softly, and then smiled sheepishly, "happy tears then?"

"Yes," She agreed, dabbing her handkerchief against her eyes gently, "happy tears."

He shifted in his seat, letting go of her hand and reaching for a drink. "Well, if it makes you feel any better… the next thing I was planning on doing was reviewing our current situation… would you like me to proceed?"

She grinned at his methodical reasoning. "Of course, please go on."

He took a deep breath and leant forward. "What I was going to say was that I find myself astonished when I think about where we are now… watching our friends get married, receiving a Nobel Prize nomination, successfully endeavouring a physical relationship, living together, discussing marriage and children and…" He shook his head, a little overwhelmed by the reflection, and exhaled raggedly. "I _never _thought that this would be my life. Ever."

"Are you happy, Sheldon?" Amy asked softly, the words spilling out of her before she could consider them further.

He tilted his head, looking at her curiously. "Amy, I've never been happier in my entire life."

The response was so matter-of-a-fact, so certain, and Amy beamed at him. "That's all I wanted."

Giving her a tiny lop-sided smile, he pushed her plate toward her. "Eat up, we need to get going soon."

She picked up the sandwich and took a large bite, mumbling through a mouth-full. "Why? What's the rush?"

He gave her a scornful look. "Don't eat with your mouth full. No rush, I would just like to get back to the apartment before the sun sets; there is much to be done."

"Like what?" She asked quizzically, watching him closely as he polished off his sandwich.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with." He replied dismissively, waving his hand.

Smirking, she returned her attention to her own lunch and sighed, contented. The whirr of a coffee machine buzzed from behind the counter, people bustling in and out, placing orders and chatting cheerfully. Looking toward the doorway, she swore she could still see, still hear her Sheldon Cooper walk through that entrance, greeting her with her full name, shoulders hunched and two comrades behind him. And yet, there he was in front of her, holding her hand once again and thanking her for making him what he was that very day.

* * *

><p>The couple arrived back home to their apartment late that afternoon, after Sheldon announced that stopping by the local train store was an urgent necessity; the long-awaited 1920's era vintage train set he had ordered had finally arrived in store and it was 'of the utmost importance' that it was collected that afternoon.<p>

After what felt like an endless conversation with the owner of the small, cluttered store, Amy dragged Sheldon out the door and they made their way home. Upon arrival, Sheldon had slinked away to the 'rumpus room' to investigate his new purchase. He could hear the faint rustling of Amy in the kitchen, presumably arranging a home-cooked meal for their dinner – something he had not had on a regular basis since he lived with his mother.

Taking a seat on Amy's small mustard couch, Sheldon gingerly pried open the faded brown box, gazing at the worn image across the front. The branding was cracked and tired, and a young boy's vivid smile was masked by a tear in the cardboard; only his perfectly combed blonde hair and oversized eyes stared back at him. Carefully, he shuffled the lid off the box and took in the musty, stale scent of the antique, grinning happily at his purchase.

A set of rusted tracks were bundled up together with a piece of string, and beside them were the engine, observation car and two passenger cars, laid out neatly alongside one another. Each were a deep olive green with a golden trim, kept in immaculate condition. He picked up one of the passenger cars and rolled it in his fingers, looking at the insignia on the base and rotating the wheels softly. The set was perfect; he had been hunting for one for months in such wonderful condition.

Placing the passenger car back into the packaging of the box, he replaced the lid and slipped the box into a vacuum sealable bag, zipping the lock shut and reaching for his small vacuum cleaner, sucking the air from the bag. The plastic molded to the shape of the box quickly, and Sheldon placed it high on the shelf, tucked behind a row of his comic books. He desperately wanted to remove the set from its packaging and display it proudly, but he would have to resist temptation.

This set was going to wait until he had another little one to share it with.

Flicking off the light, he made his way back out into the kitchen, which was rapidly filling with a smell that made his stomach growl in protest. The apartment was relatively dim, and he leant against the side of the refrigerator as he watched the back of his girlfriend attending to the hot food on the stove. With one hand rested weightily on the counter and the other swirling in the pot, she looked tired.

"What are you cooking?" He asked quietly, and she jumped, lost in thought. "Sorry, I didn't mean to give you a fright…"

She swished her long hair over her shoulder and smiled at him, flushed from the heat of the cook top. "Tonight I am cooking spaghetti – assuming that fits with your schedule, otherwise _I _will be having spaghetti and _you _will be ordering take-out."

_That's _what smelt good. Perhaps he _could _interrupt his schedule for that. "With little pieces of hot dog cut up in it?"

Amy smirked and turned down the heat, allowing the sauce to simmer. "No, Sheldon, no little pieces of hot dog – we didn't have any."

"Oh," he said, folding his arms across his chest and pouting slightly, "well perhaps I should call Penny and Leonard and see if they have some, or we could go down to the store…"

She turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. "Sheldon…"

"Fine." He said, a tiny smirk on his lips. "I _suppose_ I can alter the schedule for your spaghetti…"

"Good!" She replied brightly, and drained the pasta into a colander in the sink. For a woman in the middle of cooking dinner, Amy was spotless and as was their kitchen, cans and jars lined up neatly and dishes washed as they were used. A white apron was slung around her neck, still crisp and clean, and he watched intently as she buzzed about the kitchen preparing for their meal.

Biting his lip, he clasped his hands together in front of him and felt his heart rate increase. "Amy?"

"Hmm?"

He had to talk to her about this, or he feared he may explode. "I've been thinking about my Nobel Prize nomination…"

She looked up from grating cheese onto the chopping board, cocking her head. "What about it?"

Inhaling deeply, he moved away from the fridge and leant against the counter, adjacent to her. He could have sworn she could feel the nervous energy radiating from his body, and stared at the speckled counter. "When I win – and I know that I will – I want you to come to Stockholm with me…"

Amy chewed on the inside of her lip, putting down the grater and rinsing her hands in the sink. "Sheldon… I hope this doesn't come across in the wrong light but I'd sort of already assumed that I would be coming with you…"

He huffed, exasperated with her slight impatience. "Amy, I wasn't finished. Of course you will be coming with me." Clearing his throat, he went on. "You see, when we travel to the awards ceremony I…"

Trailing off, he pursed his lips. This shouldn't be _that_ hard. Her emerald eyes pierced him and she tilted her head, tea towel rolling between her damp hands. "You…?"

Fixed on the red checked towel scrunched in her fingers, Sheldon exhaled deliberately and reached behind her for the tie of her apron, tugging the neat bow and allowing the strings to fall to her sides. He snatched the tea towel from her hands and slipped the apron over her neck, tossing both onto the counter. She looked at him quizzically. "Sheldon, what –"

Grasping her hand, Sheldon led her toward the front door, and she instantly protested. "Dinner is almost ready, Sheldon, where are we going –"

"Dinner can wait; you can reheat it when we return." He snapped, dragging her up the next flight of stairs and toward the eerie incandescent green light of the roof exit sign.

"You hate reheated food; you have informed me many a time before that it can affect the hygiene of the food –"

Ignoring her, Sheldon burst through the heavy door and out onto the roof, drawing in the brisk night air in one huge gasp. Amy huffed beside him. "Sheldon, why are we on the roof?"

"I needed some fresh air." He said quickly, tugging her across to the edge of the worn building. Tipping his head back, he admired the starry sky, clear and sparkling.

Beside him, fingers laced through his own, Amy followed his gaze, craning her neck. He cold feel her eyes sliding over to observe him, and his heart skipped yet another beat. "When do _you_ need fresh air?" She asked skeptically.

Tearing his focus from the glittering stars, he looked down at her and took another cool breath. "We all need a good dose of fresh air in our lungs every now and then, Amy, you know that…"

"Sheldon…" She warned, certain he was stalling. "When we travel to the awards ceremony, you…?"

_Drat. _"Alright, look – I haven't planned any of this, it's just sort of fallen into place and it was only this afternoon that I decided that it was what I wanted to do and I don't have a ring or –"

Amy's face paled and she cut off his incessant babbling. "A _ring?_"

Sheldon clenched his teeth, heart racing, and took her hands in his. "Yes, a ring." He paused, running his thumb over her naked ring finger. "When we travel to the awards ceremony, when I _win_, I want my wife to be at my side."

He heard Amy audibly gasp, mouth agape and glassy eyes wide. She didn't move an inch, didn't breathe. Every hair on his body was surely standing on end, and he knew his voice quaked with emotion. "So, Amy, even though I don't have a ring and I refuse to get down on one knee on this filthy pavement, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

The words glided out of his mouth so much smoother, so much more naturally, than he had expected, and he found himself smiling coyly in anticipation, glancing down at their clasped hands. He knew his breathing was shallow and his palms were sweaty with nerves, but he didn't care. Every day, every hour, since receiving his nomination, Sheldon had contemplated this move, and knew that it was right.

Dragging his eyes away from her hands, he felt his stomach drop as he watched her shocked face, green eyes blinking back shiny tears and chewing her bottom lip. She pulled her right hand away and dabbed her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan, catching the tears that insisted on falling. "Amy?" He whispered, now nervous.

A strangled laugh came out of her and she pressed the fabric against her opposing eye. "You're asking me to marry you?"

_What a stupid question. _"Yes, I am asking you to marry me."

The uncertainty and shock seemed to melt off her face in that moment, and she threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him flat. Instantly, she was jabbering in his ear. "I _knew _when we went to the café today there was something going on, and you'd been so quiet and nervous all day – I can't believe you've been hiding that! And now you're asking me, sincerely, to be your wife? This is just incredible – I have to tell Penny –"

Sheldon cleared his throat, interrupting her. "Amy… you haven't given me an answer."

There was a moment of deafening silence as his words hung in the night air; traffic, people, _everything _seemed to stop around them. Amy pulled away, catching his lips in a whisper of a kiss and breathed her answer. "Yes."

The word echoed in his head, over and over, and he stared at her, amazed. "Really?

She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on, Dr. Cooper – where's all that confidence?"

Pursing his lips and shifting his own smirk from side to side, he tilted his neck haughtily. "I was just ensuring that I heard you correctly… of course, who wouldn't want to marry _the _Sheldon Cooper…"

"That's more like it." She replied, beaming up at him. "What made you change your mind?"

The question threw him. "What do you mean?"

"Well… you've gone from telling your own mother than we will live together in sin, with no immediate intention of marrying me, to announcing in a drunken state that you feel marriage would be a good idea, to… well, this!" She burst, shaking her head. "It seems awfully… spontaneous of you."

Folding his arms across his chest, Sheldon sighed. "Amy, nothing I do is ever 'spontaneous'. From the day you proposed we move in together this has been playing on my mind, however it wasn't until more recent times that I seriously considered it."

"Oh?" She pressed, leaning her hip against the cold concrete.

"When I received my well overdue nomination in the mail just the other day, all I could think about was the awards ceremony – it has been a dream of mine to be in Stockholm at the ceremony since I was a child. I had never imagined that I would attend such an event with a 'plus one'... I always thought it would be just me, and perhaps Leonard, ready and willing to carry my bags and straighten my tie before my acceptance speech." He paused, smiling at the daydream he had visited so many times before. "However, my plus one is now my girlfriend, and I started to think… 'would the great Dr. Sheldon Cooper have a _girlfriend_, or would he have a _wife?_"

Amy's gaze dropped to the weather beaten building, and she traced a slender finger across a crack in the concrete, biting down a smile. "And what did you think?"

He shrugged, smirking. "I thought that when the great Dr. Sheldon Cooper heads up to the podium to accept his award, when thousands of people are watching on in absolute awe, he would want his wife to straighten his tie, and he would want to tell the world that she is his."

It was Amy's turn to feel stunned; snapping her eyes up from the street below. "Really?"

Sheldon grinned mockingly. "Oh, come on, Dr. Fowler – where's all that confidence?" She rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest, to which he flinched and rubbed the aching spot just below his heart. "Ouch."

"Well," she began airily, emotions catching her, "my only question for the great, potential Nobel Prize winner would be this - does he want a wife or need a wife?"

"_Potential?_" He sighed, exasperated. "My imminent victory is so strong that you could simply dub me a Nobel Prize winner in advance, it's quite clear –"

"Sheldon." Amy growled, narrowing her eyes at her the physicist.

Huffing, Sheldon conceded. "Amy, marrying you is not a necessity – when I first contemplated asking for your hand I saw it as a pointless venture; we were already living together, already physically intimate, already somewhat bound together by a single-paged agreement…" He trailed off, his bravado fading. "I _want _to marry you, Amy."

He expected her to burst into tears, to throw her arms back around his neck and sob, to tell him that he'd made all of her dreams come true. But she didn't. A wide, breath-taking smile crossed her features and she swayed giddily, a tiny giggle escaping her lips. "I knew I'd break you some day." She said softly, teasingly.

In the next moment, she had grabbed his hand and was pulling him back into the building hastily. He chuckled. "Where are we going?"

Stopping him in the doorway, she spun around and kissed him, light and carefree and simple. When she finally broke away, he felt jittery and faint, grinning like a smitten teenager. "_We_," she began confidently, "are going to announce our engagement to our friends, and then _I _am going get together with my besties to brag about my _fiancé _and _you _are going to head out and do some late-night ring shopping. Are we clear?"

Sheldon Cooper didn't like being given direction, yet he found himself powerless. "Crystal."

As she tugged him through the doorway and down the stairs, he studied her in awe; fair face bright with excitement, green eyes glowing for him and voice chirping excitedly, speaking of plans for the future. She was _happy;_ he had made her happy, just by loving her.

In that moment, he knew that they were entering a whole new chapter in their lives; travelling to Stockholm, marriage, perhaps even children. They were together; fulfilling one another, taking this journey together. There would be so much more to see, so much more to do, but in that moment everything was right. Everything was _perfect. _

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Yes, my lovelies, that is the end… for now! There are many, many things I would like to say; however I will probably write myself a whole new story in addressing them all, so I won't go on forever.

Firstly, regarding the long wait for this chapter – my sincerest apologies. Unfortunately, I have had a tragedy in my life in the past week, and I have put in my all to even finish this chapter… it has been a good distraction from some truly woeful things I have had to go through.

Secondly, despite the setbacks of the past couple of weeks, this story was always destined to finish here – please do not think that because of my absence I have cut the story off short; this is not the case.

Following into that, thirdly, it has always been my desire to leave Sheldon and Amy at this point – bringing them together and having them make one another happy was always my intention; I am not about Shamy babies and weddings – however, one day I may pick up the next chapter in their lives as it now stands. This story is also based upon the Shamy relationship that existed over half a season ago, and I know we can _all _agree that it has grown in leaps and bounds since – this is where I am setting my sights next; on the Shamy we know now, so please be on the lookout for my new story, which is currently in the works.

Finally, thank you all so much for reading, it has been a pleasure – please remember to review, even if this is your first time reading. Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you all again for my next piece.

Lauren


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